Restoring Virginia's Wetlands, a Citizen's Toolkit

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The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay And the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality 2005 Restoring Virginia’s Wetlands A Citizen’s Toolkit

Stacey Moulds, Hadley Milliken, Jennifer Sidleck and Brenda Winn

graphic design by lauren coleman You Are Invited All across Virginia, wetlands are serving many important functions. They promote water recharge in streams and rivers, provide vital wildlife habitat, support biodiversity, help cleanse polluted waters, help alleviate flooding and provide a variety of other important biological functions. Healthy wetlands greatly contribute to a healthy environment.

You are invited to learn more about Virginia’s wealth of wetlands and help make them as pristine and plentiful as they can be for the health of the environment, our aesthetic enjoyment, and educational opportunities, for current as well as future generations. Take a look inside and contribute to Virginia’s wetlands.

So the time is now to face what’s at hand To clean up the water and clean up the land And we owe it to the future to preserve and protect The gift that we have It’s not ours to neglect ~Don Shappelle from the song, “Chesapeake Dream”

Forward

The purpose of “Restoring Virginia’s Wetlands – A Citizen’s ToolKit” is to provide the Citizens of Virginia with information concerning wetlands and to promote the voluntary protection, enhancement, restoration and creation of wetlands on private as well as public lands within the Commonwealth. This ToolKit provides information to Virginia’s landowners, both private and public, on the status of wetlands, various options for the use and management of their wetlands, current regulatory protection as well as voluntary efforts, and technical and financial resources for protection, enhancement, restoration and creation projects. This ToolKit guides you through the background information necessary to understand wetland functions and values. Included in this ToolKit are the basics regarding wetland identification, types and classification as well as types of wetland monitoring to learn more about wetlands.

Acknowledgements

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality would like to express their appreciation for the opportunity to provide this ToolKit, which was developed through a grant award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Wetlands Program Development Grants initiative. Special thanks to those individuals representing various conservation nonprofit organizations and state and Federal agencies who helped with this manual through advice on its content as well as review. Disclaimer

Although this project was funded through the EPA, it does not necessarily reflect the opinion, position or policy of the EPA or the DEQ. The user of this ToolKit is responsible for keeping up to date with changes in the Federal, state and local permit regulations and requirements, scientific literature, web page locations or resource information provided in thisToolKit.

Photos: Front cover: Green Heron at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond VA – photograph by Stacey Moulds. Back Cover: Marsh Periwinkle snails in salt marsh on Virginia’s Eastern Shore – Photograph by Mara Dovis, freelance photographer www.marafoto.com.

Forward Table of Contents

Section 1: Wetlands 101 1 introduction to Wetlands 1 What is a Wetland? 3 What Makes it a Wetland? A more in depth look at wetland hydrology, soils, vegetation and animals 6 How can I tell if my site is a wetland? 7 Wetland Functions and Values

Section 2: Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands 9 Our Commonwealth’s Wetlands: a “Wealth” of variety, including some that are not that “Common” 15 “A Wetland By Any Other Name” – Understanding the NWI Wetland Classification System 15 Wetlands to See, Wildlife to Meet – Visiting Virginia’s Public Wetlands

Section 3: What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? 19 How Are Our Wetlands Doing? Status and Trends of Virginia’s Wetlands 23 How are Virginia Wetlands Protected? Regulations to Ensure “No Net Loss’ 27 Voluntary Efforts for “Net Gain”of Wetlands in Virginia

Section 4: Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 29 take Action! Basic Ways to help 30 Hands on Voluntary Wetland Activities: Introducing Protection, Enhancement, Creation and Restoration 35 informational Tools for Targeting Potential Sites for Voluntary Wetland Activities 41 getting Help – Resources for Financial and Technical Assistance 49 Wetland Permitting and Delineations – Information for Voluntary Wetland Activities 54 Case Studies

Section 5: Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring 59 introduction to Monitoring Wetlands 61 getting to Know Your Wetland: Visual-Based Wetland Monitoring 62 Hands-On Wetland Monitoring 64 Monitoring Resources for Visual and Hands-On Wetland Monitoring

67 Acronyms and Abbreviations 69 Glossary 73 Literature Cited 76 Additional Acknowledgements

Table of Contents 1 Wetlands 101 Introduction to Wetlands

Before trekking off into the world of wetlands, it is necessary to define a word that most of you know but some may not! This word is watershed. A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common waterway, including a wetland, stream, river, lake, or even an ocean. Imagine that when it rains, all the water within a watershed ultimately “All Life has its roots in the meeting of flows to the same waterway. Watersheds can vary in size, from just a earth and water” ~ T.H. Watkins few square feet for a vernal pool or for thousands of square miles for huge watersheds such as the Chesapeake Bay. Recent environmental What’s Your Watershed movements have focused their attention on watershed stewardship and restoration. Wetlands make up an integral part of watersheds no matter Address? how large or small! To find out what watershed you live in, Virginians use their diverse land types in many different ways — for visit the U.S. Environmental Protection living, working, farming, ranching, and recreation, to name a few. Agency’s (EPA’s) “Surf Your Watershed” These uses often encroach on and affect wetlands, lands where water web site: http://www.epa.gov/surf/ is the dominant factor determining soil, plant and wildlife diversity. These impacts raise difficult questions of balancing land use needs and environmental effects: How can we balance the needs of property owners to farm or build on their land while maintaining the beneficial functions of natural wetlands? How can we respect individual property rights and assure that necessary development and traditional land uses continue while conserving both publicly and privately owned wetlands? The answers to these questions will continue to be addressed with public education on the values and functions of wetlands and how our land-use choices affect these precious environmental resources (McCarthy, 2001).

It is obvious that wetlands offer much more subtlety, surprise, mystery and value than superficial observations may suggest. We encourage you to continue to learn about the wondrous areas where land meets the water, where life abounds and the sights and sounds of the natural world come alive. That way you can better appreciate just how unique and valuable they are to Virginia’s natural resources! What is a Wetland?

Wetlands…the word alone invites your senses to travel to a wet and wonderful place teeming with life. Wetlands are magical wet, soggy or boggy places. Wetlands force you to slow down and take notice of the sights, smells, and sounds of nature as your boots get stuck in the muddy ground below. When you enter a wetland it is as if a curtain is pulled back revealing a secret oasis and a symphony of sound; tall grasses sway in the breeze creating soothing music, the moist ground provides a rich home for melodious spring peepers, beautiful yet endangered lady slipper orchids, or the elusive Virginia rail. They are places of diversity and beauty, where odd-shaped pitcher plants capture insects for nutrients, a chorus of bullfrogs fill the night air, or the call of the Prothonotary Warbler echoes in the spring (Thomson & Luthin, 2004). Wetlands fill the onlooker with awe and a reverence for the diversity and beauty of nature.

Wetlands are the link between the water and the land. “Wetlands” from being drained (Firehock et al., 1998). According to the is the collective term for marshes, swamps, bogs, and similar NRCS: areas typically found between land and water along the edges of streams, rivers, lakes and coastlines. Although most wetlands “Wetlands are defined as areas that have a predominance of have standing or flowing water for at least part of the year, many and that are inundated or saturated by surface are dry for part of the year. In fact, some of the most important hydric soils or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to wetlands are only seasonally wet. Many different wetland types support, and under normal circumstances do support, a occur throughout Virginia due to our commonwealth’s variability prevalence of hydrophytic vegetation typically adapted for in topography, climate, soil, hydrology, salinity, vegetation life in saturated soil conditions…” and other factors (White, 1989). Wetlands provide vital habitat for thousands of aquatic plants and animals, providing food as well as critical nursery grounds for these species. Wetlands help absorb excess nutrients and sediment before they reach streams Scientific Definition and rivers. They slow and absorb floodwaters and recharge The most commonly used scientific definition was published in groundwater supplies. Wetlands serve as rich educational 1979 in the report, “Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater venues for all ages as well as serene places to canoe, bird Habitats of the United States (Cowardin, Carter, Golet & LaRoe, watch, hike, fish or to just “be” in the silence of nature (United 1979), for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). This States Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], September definition is utilized by the FWS to conduct wetland inventories 2001). within the United States: Wetland Definitions “ Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial Part of the complexity and confusion with defining wetlands and aquatic systems where the water table is usually is that they are very diverse. Additionally, the definition varies at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow depending on the audience and the purpose. Due to the sheer water…Wetlands must have one or more of the following diversity of wetlands, the need to perform periodic inventories, of three attributes: 1) at least periodically, the land supports them and the regulation of their uses, science and politics both predominately hydrophytes, 2) the substrate is play a role in the “tweaking” of wetland definitions (Firehock, predominately undrained hydric soil, and 3) the substrate is Graff, Middleton, Starinchak & Williams, 1998). nonsoil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at sometime during the growing season of each year.” Regulatory Definitions The following is a regulatory definition used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), EPA and the Virginia Department Despite the subtle wording variations and focus of each of the of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to legally define wetlands and definitions provided above, three features are common to all: enforce Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which is discussed in detail in Section 3, Regulations: • Presence of water above or near the soil surface for at least a portion of the growing season (referred to as “Wetlands are those areas that are inundated or saturated wetland hydrology) by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration • Specific types of soils that develop under wet sufficient to support — and that under normal circumstances conditions (referred to as hydric soils) do support — a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally • Distinctive plants adapted to wet conditions (referred include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.” to as hydrophytes, or wetland vegetation)

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) modified One important thing to note is that the two regulatory definitions this wetland definition with a focus on wetlands soils for the require that all three features be present (under normal purpose of protecting wetlands on agricultural lands. This circumstances) for a wetland to be defined as such. In the definition helped implement the “Swampbuster” provision of the scientific definition, only one feature is required. Food Securities Act of 1985 preventing some agricultural lands

Wetlands 101 1 There is no need to get “bogged down” with wetland to recognize that many of these inputs and outputs of water in a definitions! These three definitions are simply ways of wetland are occurring simultaneously and are interrelated. Water in describing the physical attributes of wetlands and are used a wetland can be present above the soil surface, at the soil surface chiefly to identify wetlands for regulatory or scientific purposes. or just below the soil surface in the root zone for a portion of the growing season (Firehock et al., 1998). This is why wetlands may not Perhaps the best way to truly understand a wetland is to listen always appear wet, which can make identification and delineation to the more eloquent descriptions of non-scientists: Writer Phillip difficult and has led to many common wetland “misconceptions”. Johnson, a leading author on Darwinian evolution, calls wetlands Water collects in a wetland because it is usually a transitional zone “mysteriously fertile couplings of land and water.” Author B. between terrestrial and aquatic systems where water collects and Douglass Richter describes how, in ages long past, these unique is poorly drained (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). There are many areas at the edges of continents and rivers served as nurseries different types of wetlands each with a unique hydroperiod for the beginnings of terrestrial plant life. Alternatively, as T. H. (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). A hydroperiod describes water Watkins, another prominent environmental writer, put it: “All life movement and transfer within a wetland over time. It can also be has its roots in the meeting of earth and water.” (Alliance for the thought of as the “seasonal fluctuating pattern of the water level” Chesapeake Bay [Alliance], n.d.). (Firehock et al., 1998, p. 18). Hydroperiods are affected by both weather and wetland inputs and outputs, which cause changes in What Makes it a Wetland? A more in depth wetland “wetness” over time. look at wetland hydrology, soils, vegetation and animals Signs of Wetland Hydrology “Hydrology is probably the single most important determinant of Wetland hydrology is easy to identify if the area has water above the the establishment and maintenance of specific types of wetlands ground surface. However, when there is no surface water present, and wetland processes” ~Mitsch & Gosselink it becomes more difficult and you must look more closely at the hydrology of the site. Some people may think that determining if an area is a wetland should be an easy task. If the area is wet – it is a wetland, if Before discussing signs of wetland hydrology it is important to the area is dry – it is not. If only it were that simple! The truth is, understand the difference between two words used frequently when wetlands have many distinguishing characteristics other than the discussing wetlands: inundation and saturation. Areas that are presence of standing water, which are used for identification and inundated have standing water, whereas, areas that are saturated classification. In fact, many wetlands only have standing water have no standing water but do have wet soils. or saturated soils for a small portion of the growing season and appear dry for most of the time. To more fully understand the distinction, picture yourself outside after a big rainstorm. If you are walking through a large puddle wishing Therefore, it is important to look closely at the combined you had on rain boots you are walking through an inundated wetland. hydrology, soils and vegetation of an area to determine if it is a If you waited a few hours to a few days and went back outside to wetland. In the following section, we will examine these three the same spot, there may no longer be a puddle. If you took off your features used to identify and classify wetlands. sneakers and walked through the same area in your socks, they would probably become saturated with water, indicating saturation How are Wetlands Wet? Understanding at the ground surface. Depending on the wetland, if you waited a Wetland Hydrology couple more hours or days and visited the same spot, your socks may not get wet at all. However, if you dug a hole about a foot into Hydrology is used to describe the movement and storage of water the ground, water would seep in from the sides or the hole would fill in an area (Black, 1996). When applied to wetlands – hydrology with water, indicating saturation within a foot of the surface. describes water movement and storage in a wetland. Wetlands become saturated and inundated with water from precipitation, groundwater inputs, surface runoff, tides and floodwaters (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). As the diagram to the right shows, inputs of water to a wetland include: precipitation, surface runoff, tides, stream flow and groundwater inputs. Water exits wetlands through evapotranspiration, surface runoff, stream flow and groundwater. It is important IWLA

1 Wetlands 101 are characteristic of wetlands with organic soils (Ripple & Garbisch, Example Field Indicators of 2000). Organic soils are often referred to as peats and mucks and Wetland Hydrology are characteristic of areas with mosses or herbaceous emergent vegetation (Ripple & Garbisch, 2000). • Inundation – Standing water Mineral Soils • Saturation – Damp or wet feeling soils • Water Pooling or Water Seeps – if hole dug into the Mineral soils are often composed ground (12-18” deep), fills with water or seeps from the of sands, silts and clays (Ripple walls & Garbisch, 2000). Mineral soils are present in areas where • Water Marks – Trees have water lines or other evidence organic soils do not have time to of high water accumulate, typically in areas with flowing water, warmer climates, • Sediment Deposits – Evidence on leaves and other woody vegetation and seasonal materials that suggests flooding saturation. Mineral soils have two • Drift lines – Leaves and trashy debris that looks like its distinct characteristics: gleying been washed up against roots, tree trunks, fences and and mottling (Ripple & Garbisch, other obstacles by moving flooded water. 2000)

• Swollen Bases on Tree Trunks Gleying results from the reduction of iron and gives the soil a black, gray or greenish bluish- Going Down Under- Understanding gray appearance or tint (Mitsch & EC Wetland Soils Gosselink, 2000). If you were to Typical soil profile in a wetland examine the soils in a dry upland “Each soil has had its own history. Like a river, a mountain, a forest area, you would they would most likely be orangish-red in color, or any natural thing, its present condition is due to the influences of which results from the of iron (exposure to air) in the soil. many things and events of the past.” ~Charles Kellogg oxidation You can think of this process as “rusting” because it is similar to what Wetland soils have unique characteristics resulting from the occurs on garden tools left outside. This “rusting” process does not presence of water above, below or at the soil surface. Due to the happen in wetland soils that are permanently inundated or saturated unique hydrology of a wetland, wetland soils are known as hydric because of the lack of oxygen in soil pores, due to the presence of soils. Hydric soils form from a lack of oxygen present in the soil water. Rather than the iron oxidizing in wetland soils it is reduced due to the presence of water (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). When from the lack of oxygen in the soil and has the characteristic gleyed oxygen is low or absent it is referred to as an anoxic environment appearance (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). or anaerobic condition. There are two main types of wetland soils Mottling occurs when highly oxidized materials are concentrated that result from the lack of oxygen in the soil: mineral and organic in the soil (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). Mottles look either orange soils. Without getting into complicated definitions describing the or reddish-brown in soils containing iron or look black or dark percent of carbon in the soil, mineral and organic soils differ in a reddish-brown in soils with manganese (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). number of ways. Your next question may already be brewing… How are highly oxidized particles found under anaerobic conditions? Here is where Signs of Hydric Soils we need to go back to our initial discussion of a wetland. As you (To Observe Soils: Dig a hole in the ground that is 12-18”) will remember many wetlands are only periodically inundated or saturated with water. Therefore oxidizing conditions can occur when • Rotten Egg Smell – Caused by sulfur in soil the wetland is dry, thus allowing the formation of mottles (Ripple & Garbisch, 2000). So, mottling occurs in mineral wetland soils that are • Soil Color – Look for soils with a grayish or greenish dry for part of the time. hue Botany Lesson- Understanding • Mottling – Concentrations of highly oxidized particles Wetland Vegetation • Oxidized Rhizospheres – Rusty orange material around the roots in the root zone We have already seen that wetland hydrology affects the development of unique soil characteristics. The presence of wetland hydrology also affects the types of plants found in wetlands, known Organic Soils as hydrophytes, or hydrophytic vegetation. Conditions in a wetland are stressful for plants as they struggle to adapt to fluctuating water Organic soils result from the decomposition of plant material that levels and flooding (Firehock et al., 1998). Plants usually take accumulates in anaerobic conditions (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). oxygen into their root system and distribute it throughout their Organic soils have more organic carbon, lower densities and higher stems and leaves (Kesselheim & Slattery, 1995). Due to the water-holding capacities (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). The plant lack of oxygen in the root zone, wetland plants have developed materials usually accumulate rather than decompose because special adaptations that allow them to survive and reproduce in composting is slow and difficult in cool anoxic environments, which an anoxic environment (Firehock et al., 1998).

Wetlands 101 1 Plant Adaptations to Wetland Hydrology

Morphological

• Shallow Root Systems – Root systems that grow close to the soil surface to obtain oxygen • Adventitious Roots – Roots that grow out of the stem above fluctuating water levels • Buttressed Tree Trunks – Swollen tree trunks that provide stability • Pneumatophores – Vertical roots for respiration. Root is erect and protrudes above the soil surface. Common example are Bald cypress “knees” • Floating Leaves – Leaves with a thick waxy coat to prevent water penetration that float on the water surface • Inflated Leaves and Stems – stems and roots with EC sponge-like tissues, which provide buoyancy and Cattail diagram, showing hypertrophied lenticels oxygen storage • Floating Stems – Stems that can root and float on the water surface because of large internal air spaces • Hypertrophied Lenticels – pore space on plant stems used for oxygen exchange Physiological

• Ability to grow in anoxic conditions • Chemical production adaptations Reproductive

Moulds • Seed Viability – Extended seed viability which allows the germination of seeds during a dry time when Bald Cypress “knees,” or pneumatophores exposed to air • Seed Germination – the ability to germinate under anoxic conditions while underwater and not exposed to air • Changes in Seeds and Seedlings – floating seeds and flood tolerant seedlings

Morphological adaptations are changes involving the physical structure of the plant, which provide physical support and increased uptake of both oxygen and nutrients (Firehock et al.,

Moulds 1998). Many morphological adaptations involve modifications to root structure and function to increase oxygen uptake. Floating Lilypad leaves Physiological adaptations involve alterations of life processes including the ability to grow in low oxygen conditions (Firehock et al., 1998). Plants also use reproductive adaptations to improve seed viability and germination (Firehock et al., 1998).

Adaptations to salinity: Some wetlands plants not only have to adapt to fluctuating water levels but also the affects of salinity. In order to adapt, plants have root adaptations that prevent them from taking up salt or specialized cells used to excrete salt (Firehock et al., 1998). FWS/Shallenberger

Buttressed tree trunk in the Great Dismal Swamp

1 Wetlands 101 One of the most interesting attributes of wetlands is that many of Resources for More Information about the plants and animals living in them are transitional in nature, Wetland Plants and Animals meaning that they have adapted to both wet and dry areas. Wetlands are especially important for animals that seek shelter, Life in the Chesapeake Bay: An Illustrated Guide to Fishes, food and reproductive habitat in these transitional areas. Plant Invertebrates, and Plants of Bays and Inlets from Cape identification and bird watching are two popular recreational Code to Cape Hatteras. Lippson, A.J. & Lippson, R.L. activities that many people partake in while visiting a wetland. (1984). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. How can I tell if my site is a wetland? Chesapeake Bay A Field Guide: Nature of the Estuary. White, C.P. (1989). Centerville, MD: Tidewater Publishers. Hopefully, now you are able to understand why you cannot identify a wetland based solely on the presence of standing Tidal Wetland Plants of Virginia. Silberhorn, G.M. (1976, water. Wetland hydrology drives the changes that take place in April). Gloucester Point, VA: Virginia Institute of Marine the soil and those adaptations of plants and animals. Without Science. examining the hydrology, soils and vegetation of an area collectively, identification of wetland systems is difficult. All of the Wetland Planting Guide for the Northeastern United States: processes and changes occurring within a wetland system are Plants for Wetland Creation, Restoration and Enhancement. unique to that environment making wetlands an interesting area Thunhorst, G.A. (1993). St. Michaels, MD: Environmental to study, recreate and appreciate. Concern Inc. Now that you have successfully read this section, identification Animal Adaptations of a wetland should be a piece of cake… right? The table below includes a checklist of signs that your site may be a wetland. Animals also have adaptations that allow them to function in a wetland. Some aquatic animal adaptations include higher Although you should now be better equipped to recognize a concentrations of blood pigment used to transport oxygen wetland, it is still a good idea to consult with a professional to throughout the body and gills that do not collapse when exposed verify that your site is a wetland and to classify it. A professional to air (Firehock et al., 1998). Certain frogs and salamanders will also be able to delineate, or mark, the boundaries of your have adapted to reproduce in shallow, temporary wetlands wetland. Delineation is discussed in more detail in the Section 4, that are only seasonally wet. Animals living in salt marshes are under Permitting. often highly specialized to withstand salinity as well as both tidal inundation (White, 1989). Signs That Your Site May Be A Wetland What types of plants and animals are found in wetlands? • Is there standing, shallow water permanently, or for long periods of time? Common Wetland Plants and Animals • Is there evidence of watermarks or water stains on the of Virginia trees and woody vegetation? • Has sediment been deposited on leaves that may sug- Plants Animals gest flooding? Cypress Bald eagle • Are the leaves matted and grayer in appearance than Red maple Osprey those on higher ground? Black willow Red-bellied woodpecker Swamp rose Great blue heron • Can you see drift lines or evidence that leaves and Buttonbush Mallard duck trashy debris were washed against roots, fences or Cattail Spring Peeper other obstacles? Soft rush Bullfrog • Are there depressions and mounds evident in the area? Saltmarsh cordgrass Eastern mud turtle Salt meadow hay Beaver • Are there distinguishable shallow channels that may Jewel weed River otter have been created during the wet season? Lizard’s tail Raccoon • Are bottles and can filled with sediment? Skunk Cabbage White-tailed deer • Are the bases of trees swollen and bloated looking?

Wetlands are very important habitats for many plants and • Are tree and shrub roots shallow and exposed? animals. The plants and animals found in wetlands vary among • Are cattails present or other vegetation that is adapted the different wetland types. Wetland animals can vary from to wet environments? small, barely recognizable insect larvae to bald eagles and white-tailed deer. Plants can vary from lush, tropical-looking • Are the soils mottled or gleyed? vines and floating vegetation to blueberries, shrubs and trees.

Wetlands 101 1 Wetland Functions and Values Flood Reduction — Wetlands help to absorb and slow floodwaters acting as a natural “sponge” “Wetlands are more than physical places where water is present, soils have unique characteristics and certain plants grow” Ground Water Recharge and Water Storage (Welsch et al., n.d, p.3). — Wetlands, acting as a natural “sponge”, hold precipitation, flood waters, and snow melt which Environmentalists, ecologists, biologists, naturalists and citizens recharges ground water supplies have recognized and defined many of the functions and values that people attribute to wetlands today. Thomas and Luthin Water Filtration and Cleansing — Wetlands serve (2004) have concisely summed up wetland value and function in as nature’s “kidneys,” removing and filtering excess the following excerpt: nutrients and sediments from entering waterways

Scientists investigating wetland ecosystems have found that wetlands have many functions and provide numerous benefits to the environment and to us. These benefits may vary from wetland to wetland, and depend on the type of wetland, its size, its proximity to other wetlands and natural ecosystems, and the degree of disturbance, among other factors (p.10). Functions of Wetlands

Typical wetland functions include:

Food Production — The wetlands ecosystem provides critical food sources for a variety of aquatic species such as fish, shell fish, various birds and small mammals

Fish and Wildlife Habitat — Wetlands provide shelter, EC food, spawning and nesting sites for a multitude of birds, Wetlands serve as nature’s kidneys fish, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates Wetland Values

The functions that wetlands provide, give them the attributes that we value so much. According to Thomas and Luthin (2004):

Many values are associated with these wetland functions. Hunting, fishing, canoeing, bird watching, and aesthetic enjoyment are direct wetland values that offer us obvious and immediate benefits. In addition, wetland functions such as water filtration, flood control, and reduced soil erosion may provide direct or indirect benefits to society and to the environment in general. Some wetland values are subtle and understanding their importance requires a good working knowledge of the land, soils, and hydrology (p.10).

Primary wetland values include ecological, economic, environmental, aesthetic and recreational. IWLA/TVA

1 Wetlands 101 • Over $100 million worth of seafood is removed from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay annually- many of these species rely on wetlands for critical habitat and food sources Environmental Values Wetlands are often considered the first defense in helping to reduce the frequency and intensity of flooding. They filter the excess nutrients, sediment, and chemical pollutants from storm water runoff thereby improving water quality. Wetlands reduce the impact of soil erosion by buffering coastlines and absorbing floodwaters and precipitation and slowly releasing it. Furthermore, wetlands protect stream banks and shorelines from erosion and serve as a source of fresh water to maintain base flows in streams and rivers. (Thomson & Luthin, 2004).

Moulds Aesthetic and Recreational Values Ecological Values Wetlands offer a silent retreat from our busy lives. They provide an opportunity to tune in to the sights and sounds of the natural “Wetlands are our most biologically productive ecosystems, world. Wetlands can offer a place of solace and allow the visitor providing habitat for a rich diversity of plant and animal a chance for enhanced observation, contemplation, or perhaps a species”(Thomson & Luthin, 2004, p.10). Wetlands serve as scenic place to paint, draw or take photographs. Wetlands offer a spawning grounds for many species of Virginia’s fish and aquatic venue for fishing, canoeing, birding, and other recreational uses. organisms, vital nesting habitat for waterfowl, and are home Oftentimes, public lands such as national wildlife refuges, state to a variety of snakes, salamanders, frogs, insects and other parks, and state natural areas contain extensive wetland areas organisms that play a vital role in the ecological web of wetland attractive to visitors for a variety of uses (Thomson & Luthin, life (Thomson & Luthin, 2004). 2004).

Economic Values It is virtually impossible to put a price tag on the tremendous value wetlands provide. Wetlands often provide direct economic benefits to all of us whether we are aware of them or not. Private properties containing wetlands are greatly valued for their open space, wildlife habitat and aesthetic value. Communities with healthy and protected wetlands benefit from flood control, groundwater recharge, erosion control, improved water quality and recreational opportunities. Many trees and shrubs found in wetland habitats are used for medicinal uses, and food such as blueberries and wild rice are harvested in these habitats as well.

A significant source of income for communities in proximity to wetlands relies on recreational users. Bird watchers, hunters, canoeers, kayakers and sport fishermen spend a significant

amount of money on travel related costs such as food and FWS/Smith lodging, gas, local crafts and other equipment. (Chesapeake Bay Program [CBP], 1997) Considering the important part wetlands What are wetlands Bad for? play in maintaining the health of costal waters, it is evident that Virginia’s coastal wetlands are essential for supporting the It has already been established that wetlands benefit our state’s fishing industry. Important commercial and recreational environment, economy and wellbeing… So why not build our species, such as menhaden, flounder, striped bass and clams houses and business on a wetland? According to Thomas and are dependant on Virginia’s wetlands for nursery areas, food Luthin (2004): sources, and spawning grounds (Stedman & Hanson, n.d.). Wetlands are not good places for development. High According to the CBP (1997), other economic factors include: water tables, the potential for flooding, and soils that seasonally shrink and swell can pose severe problems when • Over 95% of the commercially harvested fish and shellfish a home, commercial enterprise, or road is built in a former species in the United States are at least partially wetland dependant wetland. Development in wetlands exacerbates flooding and runoff problems. The best thing for a wetland to be is • Nationally, waterfowl hunters spend over $59.5 billion annu- what it was naturally meant to be: a wetland (p.11). ally on hunting, fishing, bird watching and photographing wildlife (EPA, 1995).

Wetlands 101 1 2 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands Our Commonwealth’s Wetlands: a “Wealth” of variety, including some that are not that “Common” Why All The Variety?

“Beginning at sea level at the eastern edge of the state, the surface of Virginia rises gradually in elevation and increases in irregularity, until “When one tugs at a single thing in it reaches maximum elevation and ruggedness in the western part of nature, he finds it attached to the the state” (Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation [DCR], rest of the world.” ~John Muir Natural Communities of Virginia [NCV], n.d). Virginia possesses a greater variety of natural landscapes, more than any other state in the east, having five major physiographic providences, or geographic regions (Woodward & Hoffman, 1991). These five geographic regions are from east to west: the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont Plateau, the Blue Ridge, the Ridge and Valley, and the Appalachian Plateaus (DCR, NCV, n.d.). Each region has its own unique geology and soil composition, as well as unique climatic patterns, influenced by the Commonwealth’s diverse topographic relief (Woodward & Hoffman, 1991). It is no surprise then, that Virginia’s wetlands are so diverse!

To better understand Virginia’s wetlands we have developed a portions. Virginia’s Coastal Bay, which includes the area between simplified classification system to discuss the various wetland Virginia’s Eastern Shore mainland and the Barrier Islands. types. The first major classification divides Virginia’s wetlands as being either tidal or nontidal. In Virginia, tidal wetlands are diverse, consisting of marshes, tidal swamps and subaqueous lands. Tidal wetlands are one Tidal Wetlands of the most productive type of ecosystem, providing food, critical habitat, nursery grounds, and shelter to a myriad of animals “Virginia is well endowed with tidal wetlands… The massive at various stages in their life cycle. These wetlands perform prairie-like appearance of the saltmarshes of the Eastern Shore important filtering functions prior to their drainage into the Atlantic and the lush, tropical-like vegetation of the freshwater marshes Ocean. They also help stabilize coastlines, preventing erosion of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers have a particular gestalt during storms (Hutchings, 2003). Tidal wetlands are particularly beauty that is indescribable” (Silberhorn, 1976). important habitats for brackish and marine fishes and shellfish, small mammals, migratory shorebirds, various waterfowl, and Tidal wetlands, also referred to as , are located within estuaries a variety of wading birds such as herons and egrets. Most Virginia’s Coastal Plain. Estuaries are semi-enclosed coastal commercial and game fishes use tidal marshes and estuaries as waterbodies that are affected by both tides as well as freshwater nursery and spawning grounds. Striped bass, bluefish, sea trout, (White, 1989). Estuaries have ranging from salinity gradients croaker, menhaden, and flounder are among the most familiar saltwater at the mouth to freshwater at some upstream limit that fishes that rely on tidal wetlands. Shellfish including oysters, clams is still subject to tidal action. and shrimp as well as the Blue crab, the prized shellfish of the “Salinity is defined as the measure of dissolved salts in water, Chesapeake Bay, also depend on coastal marshes (CBP, 2002). usually expressed in parts per thousand (ppt)” (White, 1989, Tidal marshes are generally dominated by emergent, or p.14). The salinity at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and tidal herbaceous vegetation. Tidal marshes can be freshwater, brackish rivers close to its mouth are considered saltwater, approximate or salt water due the fluctuation of tides and freshwater input. to that of seawater (averages 35 ppt) whereas freshwater contains few salts (usually less than 0.5ppt). Brackish water is broadly defined as a middle range in the salinity gradient between tidal freshwater and seawater. The salinity of estuarine systems varies seasonally and yearly depending on the volume of freshwater flowing into the system from upstream. Generally, salinity levels are lowest during the early spring due to higher amounts of rain and melting snow. The degree of brackishness is therefore “inverse to the seasonal freshwater flow — fresher in spring and saltier in the autumn” (White, 1989, p.18). Along this salinity gradient, every habitat “supports a unique community of plants and animals, each particularly suited to the water chemistry and bottom substrate of a given salinity zone” (White, 1989, p.18).

Virginia has four main estuarine systems, all of which ultimately drain into the Atlantic Ocean. The largest of these is the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which drains a large portion of Virginia as well as parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. Four Virginia Rivers flow into the Chesapeake Bay including the Potomac, Rappahannock, York and James Rivers, all of which have tidal gradients ranging from saltwater, brackish and tidal freshwater. The next largest is the Chowan watershed. Rivers that drain into the Chowan River system include the Meherrin, Nottoway, and the Blackwater Rivers. These rivers have tidal freshwater portions within Virginia before becoming brackish and joining the Chowan River in North Carolina (Woodward & Hoffman, 1991). North Carolina’s Currituck Sound is drained by three waterbodies that originate in Virginia: the Northwest and North Alice Jane Lippson Landing Rivers and Back Bay. Although all three waterbodies have tidal portions in Virginia, only Back Bay has brackish Freshwater Marsh

10 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands 2 Tidal Freshwater Marshes – Tidal freshwater marshes border tidal freshwater streams and rivers located in the upper reaches of tides. Tidal freshwaters are regions of narrow salinity gradients (0-0.5 ppt) yet contain daily tidal fluctuations. Salinity zones can fluctuate and can become slightly brackish during summer droughts. The plant community of freshwater marshes is quite diverse and is dominated by emergent aquatic plants such as broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia), soft rush (Juncus effusus), arrow arum (Peltandra virginica), pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata), reeds, ferns, and sedges or floating-leafed

plants such as duckweed and waterlillies (White, 1989). Alice Jane Lippson

Tidal Brackish Marshes – Brackish marshes have the most High Marsh Zone showing “tussled” saltmeadow in foreground fluctuating salinity levels of tidal marshes and are usually found between salt marshes and freshwater marshes along river Tidal Swamps systems. Salinity levels in brackish marshes are influenced by Tidal swamps are dominated by woody plants (trees or shrubs) tidal action as well as water movement from fresh water marshes and are tidally flooded. In Virginia, tidal swamps occur in between (Louisiana Challenge Grant, 1997). Plants and animals living emergent tidal wetlands and swamp forests or uplands. They within brackish marshes must tolerate wide swings in salinity can also occur on depositional islands in large meanders of tidal levels (White, 1989). It makes sense, then that in terms of plant rivers. The herbaceous flora associated with tidal swamps can be diversity, brackish marshes are less diverse than freshwater very diverse and typically contains species characteristic of both marshes but more diverse than salt marshes (White, 1989). tidal marshes and freshwater swamps. Brackish marshes provide vital habitat and nutrients for many aquatic animals and waterfowl. Types of tidal swamps in Virginia include shrub swamps, tidal bald cypress – tupelo swamps, tidal hardwood swamps and Tidal Salt Marshes – Salt marshes have the highest salinity estuarine fringe swamp forests (found only in southeastern levels of tidal marshes and are generally most affected by the Virginia in the North Land and Norwest Rivers) (DCR, NCV, n.d.). wind and tidal movement (Louisiana Challenge Grant, 1997). Salt marshes generally have two zones: the low marsh, or one that Nontidal Wetlands is regularly flooded usually during high tide, and the high marsh, one that is not flooded on a regular basis, only during the highest Nontidal wetlands are a diverse category of wetlands that are tides of the year (White, 1989). unaffected by tides and are generally characterized by their vegetation type. Their vegetation can be extremely diverse and As the below diagram by Lippson demonstrates, the low marsh can be categorized in three main types: zone is almost completely dominated by saltmarsh cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). The high marsh zone contains slightly greater plant diversity, commonly containing salt meadow hay • Emergent wetlands, commonly called marshes and (Spartina patens), salt grass (Distichilis spicata) and black wet meadows, dominated by grasses, sedges and other needle rush (Juncus roemeriansus). (White, 1989). Other pants herbaceous or non-woody plants associated with the high marsh zone include sea lavender (Limonium carolinianum) and glasswort (Salicornia sp.) (Lippson • Shrub wetlands, characterized by low to medium- and Lippson, 1984). height woody plants • Forested wetlands, largely wooded swamps and bottomland hardwood forests (CBP, 2002)

Emergent Wetlands Nontidal Freshwater Marshes – Nontidal freshwater marshes are similar to tidal marshes yet are not dependant on tidal flow but instead rely on seasonal flooding, rainfall, and runoff for their water supply. Like their tidal counterpart, emergent aquatic plants dominate freshwater marshes. These ecosystems are characterized by shallow water that is frequently or continually

Alice Jane Lippson above the soil surface and is derived from streams, overland flow and groundwater. They have little or no peat deposition and soils Low Salt Marsh Zone comprised almost entirely of saltmarsh cordgrass stands with a high mineral content (Firehock et al., 1998).

11 2 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands Wet Meadows – Wet Headwater wetlands – Headwater wetlands are found at the meadows are a particular upper ends of wetlands and intercept and modify runoff and type of marsh, found shallow groundwater before entering streams that flow into larger in areas that are only rivers and estuaries. Headwater wetlands are extremely valuable periodically inundated or for their role with water quality protection and stormwater saturated. Many people management. Headwater wetlands also serve as important have a wet meadow habitat (Hershner, Havens, Rudnicky & Schatt, 2000). area on their property and would probably not Isolated wetlands – Isolated wetlands are unique non-tidal consider it a “wetland.” wetlands that, as their name implies are, not directly “connected” Wet meadows resemble hydrologically through surface water sources, but rather obtain their grasslands and are hydrologic inputs primarily through precipitation and ground water. typically drier than other Nonetheless, they perform many of the same beneficial functions marshes except during and values as traditional wetlands such as filtering nutrients and periods of seasonal high sediments, recharging streams and ground water supplies, and water. They contain a providing critical habitat for a variety of wildlife. Due to their “isolated variety of meadow-like nature”, they support unique and rare animal and plant communities wetland plants including that are adapted to and flourish in this environment. Isolated wetlands are found in a variety of regions in the state and vary grasses, sedges, rushes, Moulds and wildflowers widely in their appearance as well as in the plants and wildlife that (EPA, 2005). Arrow Arum in freshwater marsh they support (DEQ, July 2005). Various types of isolated wetlands are discussed below. Shrub and Forested Wetlands Swamps – Swamps are dominated by woody plants (trees or shrubs) and are either normally saturated to the surface or flooded by up to a foot of water. Tree and shrub dominated swamps are usually located at the headwaters as well as along the borders of tidal creeks and streams along the landward margins of freshwater and brackish marshes (White, 1989). Swamps are characterized by saturated soils during the growing season, and

standing water during certain Jerrell

Moulds times of the year. The highly organic soils of swamps Lee County Extension Agent Harold Jerrell showing how large cinnamon ferns Dragon Run Swamp form a thick, black, nutrient- (Osmunda cinnamomea) can get. rich environment for the growth of water-tolerant trees such as cypress, Atlantic white cedar , and tupelo. Some swamps are • Vernal Pools or Seasonal Ponds – A vernal pool, or sea- dominated by shrubs, such as buttonbush or smooth alder. Plants, sonal pond, is a temporary, freshwater wetland that contains birds, fish, and invertebrates such as freshwater shrimp, crayfish, water for a portion of the year and supports a fantastic and clams require the habitats provided by swamps (EPA, 2005). array of plants and animals often not found anywhere else. “Vernal pools are often found in the flood plain of a stream, Bottomland forests and wet woods – Two other types of in seasonally-flooded woodlands, as sinkhole ponds, or forested wetlands, bottomland forests and wet woods conceal where rainwater and snow collect in forest depressions. their water below the surface for most of the year, unlike Vernal pools typically dry up in the summer time and fill up traditional swamps. with rainwater during the fall and winter”(Virginia’s Vernal Pools, n.d.). Seasonal ponds range anywhere in size from Hydrologically Unique Wetlands – Isolated 50 feet to several hundred feet or more in diameter (DCR, Wetlands and Headwater Wetlands Natural Resources Fact Sheet [NRFS], n.d.). Some nontidal wetlands may also be classified based on their hydrologic inputs, discussed in the following paragraphs.

12 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands 2 • Pocosins – Often tucked between coastal freshwater • Bogs – Bogs are one of Virginia’s most distinctive kinds of marshes and deepwater swamp forests of the southeastern wetlands. They are found in areas with poor drainage in the Coastal Plain, pocosins are one of Virginia’s rarest wetlands. higher elevations of the Blue Ridge and Ridge and Valley Pocosins generally occur in flat poorly drained areas with regions of Virginia. Spongy peat deposits, acidic waters, and a sandy or peaty acidic soil composition (DCR, NRFS, a dense ground cover of sphagnum moss characterize bogs. n.d.). The word pocosin comes from the Algonquin Native Bogs receive all or most of their water from precipitation and American word for “swamp on a hill. These wetlands are as a result, bogs are low in the nutrients needed for plant dominated by small trees and shrubs and have a high growth, a condition that is enhanced by acid forming peat water table leaving the soil saturated for much of the year. mosses. Bogs support unique plant life, such as carnivorous Pocosins receive most of their water from rainfall and in plants such as pitcher plants. They also serve an important the drier months of spring and summer, natural fires occur ecological function in preventing downstream flooding by because pocosins periodically become very dry. These fires absorbing precipitation (EPA, 2005). increase the diversity of shrub and tree species and aid in • Sea-level Fens – Sea-level fens are a type of extremely rare the germination of seeds (EPA, 2005). coastal wetland located at the upland edges of wide, ocean- • Carolina Bays – The Carolina Bays are elliptical geologic side tidal marshes. Not discovered in Virginia until 1991, they depressions in the sand of the southeastern Coastal Plain of receive water and nutrients from underground seeps and like Virginia. They have long been the subjects of scientific curios- bogs, their soils are acidic and low in nutrients. Sea-level fens ity, controversy, and debate since they were first discovered support an interesting variety of carnivorous plants such as in the Eighteenth Century. Called “bays”, they are not ocean sundew and bladderwort (DCR, NCV, n.d.). inlets, but rather these depressions are usually surrounded by a variety of bay trees such as red bays and sweet bays. The depressions are almost perfectly oval and are unique. They support an abundant community of plant and animal life. The largest concentrations of bays are in North and South Carolina ranging in size from quite small to large (Wheatley Memorial Institute of Information Sciences, 2005). Moulds

Carnivorous pitcher plant often found in bogs and fens

• Groundwater seepage wetlands of Coastal Plain and Piedmont – These unique wetlands, sometimes also called seepage swamps or bogs, are most frequent in the Coastal Plain but sometimes occur in the Piedmont. Seepage wetlands support unusual vegetation and many plants that occur in no other habitats. The most characteristic tree of these wetlands is the sweet bay magnolia , but red maple, loblolly pine, tupelo and sweet gum are often present as well in addition to shrubs. The herbaceous layer is the most unusual containing carnivorous pitcher plants and sundews within thick beds of sphagnum moss (DCR, 1997). • Karst Depressional or Sinkhole Wetlands – Karst depressional, or sinkhole wetlands are found in only in the central Shenandoah Valley, in Augusta, Page and Rockingham Counties. They are formed by the decomposition of underlying Jerrell minerals, which then levels off and intersects with the ground Caption cottongrass, a rare bog plant. Photo taken in 1980s in a bog along water table (DCR, NCV, n.d.). Springs and seeps permanently White Branch, located in the Cumberland Mountains on the Virginia- feed some, while others are only seasonally saturated from Tennessee border (north of the town of Rose Hill, Lee County, Virginia). precipitation. (Woodward &Hoffman, 1991) Like many isolated wetlands, these sinkhole wetlands support a unique and rare variety of plants and animals (DCR, NCV, n.d.).

13 2 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands Subaqueous Lands – Wetlands or Deep Water Habitats?

Subaqueous lands are located entirely below the water level surface and include vegetated and unvegetated areas. Vegetated areas are referred to as subaquatic vegetation. Depending on the water depth and the permanency of the water, these habitats may be considered wetlands or instead as deepwater habitats.

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), also sometimes referred to as underwater grass, is found in tidal as well as nontidal waters. These plant communities serve as essential food and habitat for many aquatic species, including waterfowl, shellfish, finfish and invertebrates. SAV beds also oxygenate the water, remove suspended sediments within the water and protect shorelines from erosion (CBP Website). “These aquatic plants are fully submersed, living with their leaves at or below

the surface of the water. Like marsh plants, different species are Moulds segregated according to salinity and depth and provide habitats Cypress swamp for freshwater, slightly to moderately brackish and highly brackish communities” (White, 1989, p.23). Wetland Types in Virginia – A Review Tidal Vegetated • Tidal Marshes- Freshwater, Brackish or Salt • Tidal Swamps (shrubs or forests) • Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Tidal Unvegetated • Oyster beds and Mudflats Nontidal Vegetated Emergent • Freshwater Marshes • Wet Meadows Shrub and Forested Wetlands • Swamps • Bottomland Forests and Wet Woods Moulds Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Water stargrass, a freshwater SAV species, makes the section of the Upper James River where this photo was taken appear as a “river of grass” Headwater Wetlands Isolated wetlands- groundwater or rainfall fed Unvegetated subaqueous lands include mudflats and oyster • Vernal Pools or seasonal ponds beds. Mudflats are located adjacent to marshes in tidal areas that are exposed during low tides. These areas are devoid of • Pocosins rooted plants. Blue crabs, wading birds, and waterfowl all forage • Carolina Bays on mudflats. Oyster beds provide nooks and crannies that offer shelter and food sources for many aquatic animals. Small finfish • Bogs find shelter among the many shells and large fish, waterfowl and • Fens blue crabs forage on the reef. The oyster beds provide a ridged structure resistant to erosion and help dissipate wave energy. • Groundwater Seepage Wetlands • Sinkhole or Karst Depressional Wetlands

14 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands 2 “A Wetland By Any Other Name” The FWS classification system uses five categories, or systems, – Understanding the NWI Wetland to classify wetlands and deepwater habitats based on the Classification System location within the landscape. These systems are: marine, estuarine, riverine, lacustrine and palustrine. Marine wetlands There are many ways to go about describing and classifying are associated with the high-energy coastline. Estuarine wetlands wetlands. Over the years, scientists realized the need to more occur in estuaries where freshwater and saltwater mix. Riverine precisely categorize wetlands and develop a uniform “language” wetlands are located within freshwater river channels that so that wetlands could more easily be discussed. After all, it is are dominated by emergents present only during the growing much easier to discuss something when you are using the same season. Lacustrine wetlands are located along the edges of language! lakes where the water depth is less than 2 meters (6.6 feet). Palustrine wetlands are nontidal freshwater wetlands that are The preceding pages classified wetlands using terminology such neither riverine nor lacustrine (Firehock et al., 1998). Wetlands as marshes and swamps. Wetlands were classified first by being that fall within a river channel that are dominated by persistent either tidal or nontidal, followed next by the dominant vegetation emergent vegetation are also considered palustrine. The type. Lastly, for nontidal wetlands, other characteristics such FWS classification system continues with subsystems based as unique hydrology, geology or soils came into play in the on frequency of flooding and classes and subclasses based classification process. on soil type and dominant vegetation. The table below shows some examples of wetland types, listed on the left by their The FWS published the report, “Classification of Wetlands and common names and then on the right by Cowardin classification Deepwater Habitats of the United States” (Cowardin et al.) in equivalent. 1979, and then went on to use this system to identify and map all of the wetlands in the United States (National Wetlands For more information about the FWS Classification system, see Inventory [NWI]). This classification system has become Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United the national standard for classifying wetlands and arranges States (Cowardin et al., 1979), available online at: http://www. wetlands and deepwater habitat types into ecological factors charttiff.com/pub/WetlandMaps/Cowardin.pdf based on hydrology, dominant vegetation, soil types, flooding regime and other factors (Firehock et al., 1998). The Cowardin Wetlands to See, Wildlife to Meet – Visiting system is hierarchical and includes several layers of detail for Virginia’s Public Wetlands wetland classification including: a system (described in following paragraph), a subsystem of water flow;classes of substrate “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.” types; subclasses of vegetation types and dominant species; as - Aldo Leopold well as flooding regimes and salinity levels for each system. Extensive educational resources regarding wetlands exist, but for the knowledge and appreciation of these priceless ecosystems to Example of Wetland Types and their U.S. come alive, you must visit one! Virginia is rich with a diversity of Fish and Wildlife Service Classification public wetlands in which to visit. These locations vary in size and Equivalent accessibility.

Types, Common Name Cowardin Classification Many Virginia state parks and Natural Area Preserves, equivalent maintained by DCR, contain substantial wetland areas that are as natural areas for hiking, canoeing, and environmental education Tidal saltwater marsh Estuarine intertidal activities. State parks are an ideal place to visit independently or emergent, saline through a guided tour sponsored by the park. In addition to state parks, there are also wetlands such as Wildlife Management Tidal freshwater marsh Estuarine intertidal Areas, preserves owned by The Nature Conservancy, FWS emergent, fresh National Wildlife Refuges, teaching areas owned by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science as well as local and regional parks. Nontidal freshwater marsh Palustrine emergent, fresh Following is a list presenting a few possible wetlands to visit, organized by region, as well as contact information. Cypress swamp, Palustrine forested, freshwater tidal needleleaved deciduous, fresh

15 2 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands Aerial view of Taskinas Creek

Kayaking the Upper Chippokes Creek Moulds NOAA/DOC by Bahen

FWS/McCrensky Birdwatching at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge NOAA/DOC by Bahen

Canoeing on Taskinas Creek at York River State Park, also the site of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (CB NERR) Moulds

“The Wetlands” at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens

16 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands 2 Wetlands to Visit in Virginia

Central Virginia

• Douthat State Park – Seasonally inundated fringe wetlands and vernal pools with interpretive programming and hiking accessibility

• Folly Mills Creek Fen Natural Area Preserve –An excellent example of a Shenandoah fen community with several rare plant species

• Holiday Lake State Park – Vernal pools that are utilized for interpretative programming by nonprofit organization, Virginia’s Vernal Pools

• James River State Park – Freshwater marsh area accessible by hiking or viewed on an overlook dock

Eastern Virginia

• Belle Isle State Park – Eight distinct wetland types, including both tidal and nontidal marshes can be viewed from multiple hiking trails

• Blackwater River Preserve – Owned by the Nature Conservancy. Access limited to a canoe due to very swampy conditions

• Chippokes Plantation State Park – Both freshwater marshes and cypress swamps that can be viewed from the road and from hiking trails

• Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge – The Great Dismal Swamp is the largest swamp in Virginia, with over 111,000 acres of forested wetlands

• North Landing River Preserve – owned by The Nature Conservancy. One of the largest expanses of undisturbed freshwater marsh habitat along the entire eastern seaboard. This unusual wetland system provides a habitat for southern species of plants that are rare in Virginia, including sawgrass, an integral part of the Florida Everglades

• Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area – Brackish marsh accessible by a boardwalk with an interpretive trail. Hunting is permitted in this area – use caution when visiting.

• Virginia Coast Reserve – Extensive salt marshes fringe the inner coast of the Barrier Islands that run more than 60 miles up the Virginia coast. The Nature Conservancy owns all or part of 14 out of 18 Barrier Islands. Visitors must first contact the VCR office.

• York River State Park – Salt marshes and tupelo swamps that viewed from boardwalks, hiking trails or guided canoe trips. While canoeing on Taskinas Creek, you can experience tidal salt marsh to tidal fresh water marshes

17 2 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands Northern Virginia

• Caledon State Park – Swamps and marshes that are seasonally restricted and require crossing fairly rugged terrain to visit

• Leesylvania State Park – Freshwater marshes and fringe wetlands that can be viewed from hiking trails or by canoe

• Mason Neck State Park – Swamps and freshwater tidal marshes that can be viewed from hiking trails, boardwalks or guided canoe trips

• Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge – Wetlands make up over half of the area in the refuge and include wet meadows, bottomland hardwoods, open freshwater marshes and tidally influenced marshes

Southwest Virginia

• Deep Run Ponds Natural Area Preserve – Sinkhole pond system that supports a variety of rare plant and animal species

• Grayson Highlands State Park – Unique bog called Sullivan Swamp

• Fairystone Farms Wildlife Management Area – Has an 8-acre impounded marsh area. Hunting is permitted in this area – use caution when visiting.

• Hungry Mother State Park – Seasonally inundated wetland located along the lake

Resources for Wetland Visitation

Before heading out to visit a wetland, contact the location or research it online first. Some of these locations may be temporarily closed to public access due to maintenance, bird nesting or other reason.

• National Wildlife Refuge Systems – 800-344-WILD or http://www.fws.gov/refuges for an alphabetical or state listing of refuges – Contact the National Wildlife Refuge Systems for more information before visiting a refuge

• Natural Area Preserves – http://www.state.va.us/dcr/dnh/preserve.htm for an alphabetical listing with more detailed information. Most Natural Area Preserves are owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, but some are owned by local governments, universities, private citizens or The Nature Conservancy

• The Nature Conservancy – 800-628-6860 or http://www.nature.org – Contact the Nature Conservancy to visit their wetlands preserves

• Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Wildlife Management Areas – 804-367-1000 or http://www.dgif. state.va.us/hunting/wma/index.html – Many of their wildlife management areas with wetlands are popular spots for waterfowl hunting! Use caution when visiting!

• Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) – 804-684-7000 or http://www.vims.edu – Has a teaching marsh and some coastal wetlands that can viewed by scheduling a tour.

• Virginia State Park System – 1-800-933-PARK or visit their website http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/parks

• Virginia’s Vernal Pools – 434-248-5444 or visit their website http://www.lynchburgbiz.com/virginiasvernalpools/index.html – Sponsors educational programs about vernal pools during the spring at state parks.

18 Getting to Know Virginia’s Wetlands 2 3 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? Trying to get a complete “picture” for our Commonwealth’s wetlands — how many and what types we have, their health and what’s happening to them — is not an easy job. Part of the complexity has to do with which wetland definition is used as well as available data and technologies and the interpretation of that data. Scientists, managers and regulators in Virginia are constantly working to get a better idea of this true “picture” of our wetlands, both the current conditions as well as “Nature provides a free lunch, but what has happened in the past in order to project future conditions. only if we control our appetites.” ~William Ruckelshaus How Are Our Wetlands Doing? Status and Trends of Virginia’s Wetlands How many wetlands do we have in Virginia?

Based on the FWS’s National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) mapping for the state of Virginia, vegetated wetlands occupy about 1.2 million acres, or about 4.5 percent of Virginia’s landmass (Hershner, et al., 2003). This statistic is still not 100% accurate for vegetated wetlands, as the NWI is based on aerial photographs and some types of wetlands, especially small forested nontidal wetlands, are difficult to detect and are most likely underrepresented (Hershner et al., 2003). What types of wetlands are most abundant in Virginia?

Of the four major NWI wetland classification systems, palustrine wetlands are most abundant, comprising about 83 % (about 1 million acres) of all vegetated wetlands in Virginia. As the pie chart on the next page indicates, estuarine wetlands are the next most prevalent, comprising about 16 % (195,000 acres) of the State’s vegetated wetlands. Lacustrine and riverine wetlands account for small percentages, about 220 and 570 acres, respectively (Hershner et al., 2003). Isolated and headwater wetlands

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) recently performed an analysis looking at the abundance of two types of hydrologically unique wetlands, headwater and isolated wetlands. Based on this analysis, it is estimated that these two wetland types represent over 50% of Virginia’s vegetated wetlands (Hershner et al., 2003). Where are Virginia’s wetlands located?

As the pie chart on the next page demonstrates, the majority of Virginia’s wetlands (72 percent), including all estuarine wetlands, are located entirely within the Coastal Plain region. Nontidal wetlands are distributed throughout the State and are located primarily in bottomlands and in floodplains along stream channels, especially in headwater areas. About 22 percent of the wetlands in Virginia are in the Piedmont region. The remaining wetlands are located in the Appalachian Plateaus, Blue Ridge and Valley regions. (Augustine, 2002).

19 Adapted from Hershner, et al., 2003. Note: Analysis includes vegetated wetlands only.

Adapted from Hershner, et al., 2003. Note: Analysis includes vegetated wetlands only.

Adapted from Augustine, 2004.

20 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? 3 Wetland Losses Wetland Loss Hot Spots in Virginia’s Virginia, like most of the nation, did not realize the value of wetlands for much of its history and consequently experienced Chesapeake watershed between great losses of wetlands during its development. In the 1780’s, 1982-1989 (From CBP, 1997) wetlands are estimated to have covered 1,849,000 acres (more than 7 percent) of Virginia. By the mid-1980’s, when Southeastern – 4,000 acres of seasonally saturated permits began to be required for most wetland impacts, it is and temporarily flooded forested wetlands estimated that only 1,075,000 wetland acres remained -- a loss converted into housing developments and farmland approximating 42 percent in just 200 years. Activities by man including agriculture, industrial and urban development, and Piedmont – 17,000 acres of palustrine vegetated recreation led to the destruction of many wetlands in Virginia wetlands lost, 90% of which was converted into through their draining, dredging, ditching, filling, diking and lakes, reservoirs or ponds damming (Augustine, 2004). Blue Ridge/Appalachian – 34 % of region’s • Tulloch Ditching of wetlands – The term “Tulloch ditching” palustrine emergent wetlands lost, 80% due to is used to describe the practice of carefully digging drainage conversion to cropland ditches within wetlands to remove all excavated materials Coastal Plain – almost 2,000 acres of palustrine from the wetland (Hershner, 1999). The objective of Tulloch vegetated wetlands lost, 65% due to conversion of ditching is to drain the wetland so that it will no longer be forested wetlands into ponds subject to wetlands regulations, creating the potential for alternative uses (Hershner, 1999). The practice became Although not all of the recent data has been finalized, prevalent in Virginia when the United States Court of most experts agree that significant annual wetland Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a ruling, which losses continued into the 1990s (Augustine, 2004). prevented the Corps from having jurisdiction over this activity to prevent the practice (Hershner, 1999). Between 1998 and 1999, more than 2,500 additional acres of non-tidal wetlands in Virginia were ditched for development, and additional acres of isolated wetlands were destroyed (Augustine, 2004). • Headwater and isolated wetlands – Across the nation, headwater and isolated wetlands were historically the first wetlands areas to be drained and filled. Due to their size or temporary hydrologic nature, they were often not protected because they were not thought to be ecologically important. (Alliance, 2003). These two wetlands types, along with other nontidal wetlands with temporary hydrology are often the most at risk as they are tempting targets for effective drainage via Tulloch ditching (Hershner, 1999). Luckily, due to changes with Virginia’s nontidal wetlands permit program as well as changes with Virginia’s Corps permitting program, wetland losses due to Tulloch ditching and in headwaters and isolated wetlands have slowed (Augustine, 2004). Subaqueous Lands

It should be noted that none of these statistics include Virginia’s wealth of subaqueous lands, which include subaquatic vegetation beds and unvegetated areas containing mudflats and oyster beds. Depending on the classification system used and the depth and permanency of the water, these habitats may be considered wetlands or deepwater habitats. Nonetheless, these lands are indeed a valuable resource, providing essential habitat for shellfish, crabs and finfish Virginia Marine Resources Commission [VMRC, n.d.]). In the tidal portion alone, Virginia has an estimated 1,472,000 acres of state-owned bottomlands. These submerged lands, harbor 21,000 acres of valuable submerged aquatic vegetation and 350,000 acres of oyster grounds (VMRC, n.d.).

21 3 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? You can still hear the tales of the water so clean Oysters – At one time, Crassostrea virginica, the native oyster of the shad and the sturgeon and the grasses so green of the Chesapeake Bay, yielded seasonal harvests of millions that grew all over the Bay... of bushels. Even 100 years ago, oyster reefs were so large ...But the water turned cloudy and the shoreline was paved that they posed a navigational hazard to ships. One traveler the harbor grew cloudy commented about our native oyster in 1701: hardly an effort was made to preserve all the things that we cherished the most “The abundance of oysters is incredible. There are whole banks and are blind to the fact that it all may soon be lost “ of them so that the ships must avoid them…. They surpass those in England by far in size…they are four times as large. I ~ Don Shappelle,, “Chesapeake Dream” often cut them in two, before I could put them in my mouth.”

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) – It is estimated that - J. Wharton, The Bounty of the Chesapeake: Fishing in there was at one time at least 200,000 acres of SAV within the Colonial Virginia. University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, tidal portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed alone. (CBP, VA (CBP, 2005). n.d.) By 1984, only 38,000 acres of SAV existed within the Bay and tidal tributaries. Since this time, scientists within the Today, less than 1 percent of the original oyster population Bay region have committed significant resources to determine remains (CBP, 2005). the causes for the decline as well as the best methods for protecting and restoring SAV populations.

In 2003, the CBP adopted a goal to achieve 185,000 acres of SAV baywide by the year 2010 (CBP, 2004). Virginia’s portion of this goal is 75,093 acres (Dave Wilcox, personal communication, September 16, 2005).

After a period of steady increase from 1984 through 1993, SAV acreage within the tidal portions of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay has fluctuated around an annual average of approximately 30,000-35,000 acres through 2003. In 2004, SAV acreages for Virginia (28,297 acres) reached the lowest levels recorded since 1987. Changes observed between 2003 and 2004 were likely due to the influence of Hurricane Isabel, primarily by washing out large sections of beds along both the eastern and western lower bay shoreline in September 2003. These Alice Jane Lippson decreases in SAV highlights the continued importance to further American Oyster reduce nutrient and sediment pollution flowing into the Bay. (CBP, May 2005). Data adapted from VIMS as communicated by Dave Wilcox, Sept 16, 2005.

Note: no data is available for years 1978-1983 or 1988. Due to Hurricane Isabel, some data was also not available in 2003. No Alice Jane Lippson statistics are available for submerged vegetation in nontidal areas. Eelgrass, a type of saltwater SAV, serves as important habitat for a wealth of animals, as demonstrated in this diagram.

22 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? 3 How are Virginia Wetlands Protected? Regulations to Ensure “No Net Loss’ For more information about the Clean Water Act, visit the following websites: “Ditch It, Fill It, Drain It, Dump It, Dredge It, Dump In It” – Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay • http://www.epa.gov/region5/water/cwa.htm – contains a history of the Clean Water Act and all of the sections of The above saying was a common sentiment regarding wetlands. the Act. People used to view wetlands as a nuisance and something to get • http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/ – Clean Water Act rid of. In fact, government polices were even in place to encourage Training Module the destruction of wetlands for conversion into agricultural fields and for commercial and residential development (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000, p. 14).

But over the last quarter century, greater scientific understanding of the functions and values of wetlands has increased the recognition for the need to restore and conserve them. (Heimlich,1988). As a result, direct and indirect public incentives for wetland conversion have ceased, wetland conversion has been regulated in Federal water quality legislation and in numerous State laws, farm program benefits have been tied to wetland conservation, and voluntary programs have been funded to restore cropland formerly converted from wetlands (Heimlich,1988). Federal Regulations The Clean Water Act USGS

National Water Quality Monitoring Day Celebrated along the James River in Richmond, Virginia

Two important sections of the Clean Water Act that pertain to

USGS wetlands are Section 404 (33 U.S.C. 344) and 401 (33 U.S.C. 1341): Throughout the 1960’s, public awareness regarding the quality of our nation’s water resources intensified as a result of highly • Section 404 – Avoid, minimize and compensate – This volatile environmental issues. Thousands of dead fish washing section of the Clean Water Act states that no discharge of ashore, fouled city drinking water, and lakes catching on fire dredged or fill material into U.S. waters, including wetlands, were all indicative of a highly stressed aquatic system. Pollution can be permitted if a practical alternative exists that is less was readily observable in much of the nation’s rivers, streams damaging. Potential impacts to wetlands should be mini- and lakes. Government agencies attempted to respond to these mized and for unavoidable impacts, compensation should problems, often without insight as to the social, legal, economic be provided through activities to restore or create wetlands. and environmental consequences of their actions. With a high The Corps and the EPA jointly administer Section 404. demand for a more effective means to protect and clean the Additional Federal agencies, including the FWS, NRCS and nation’s water resources, Congress in 1972, passed the Federal the National Marine Fisheries Service have advisory roles Water Pollution Control Act Amendments (better known as the and offer technical assistance in some instances. Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et. Seq.) (Year of Clean • Section 401 requires that states ensure that a Section 404 Water, 2001). permit does not violate state water quality standards. The Clean Water Act set the goal of restoring and maintaining the No Net Loss Policy chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. Since its passage over thirty years ago, Clean Water Act programs “No net loss” of wetlands is a Federal policy goal that emerged in have yielded measurable improvements in water quality. As part of 1989, and is interpreted to mean wetlands should be conserved the Clean Water Act movement, national attention was directed to wherever possible, and that acres of wetlands converted to other wetlands as more science revealed the important roles that they uses must be offset through restoration and creation of other play in healthy watersheds, and thus water quality (Year of Clean wetlands, maintaining or increasing the total wetland resource Water, 2001). base (Heimlich,1988).

23 3 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? Virginia Wetlands Protection – Avoid first, then minimize

Virginia is a leading example among states within the nation for adopting protective regulations for its wetlands. The Commonwealth of Virginia generally regulates impacts for all state waters, including wetlands, through two programs, the Virginia Water Protection Program and the Tidal Wetlands Program.

Following Section 404 requirements, Virginia emphasizes avoidance of wetlands if possible, followed by minimization of impacts.

• Virginia Water Protection Permit (VWP) Program – The DEQ regulates impacts to state waters, including wetlands, through the VWP for both tidal and nontidal impacts permitted under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. This permit program also serves as Virginia’s Section 401 Certification Diagram showing jurisdictional boundaries within Virginia for uplands, nontidal and tidal process. wetlands, and subaqueous lands. Source: Tidewater Joint Permit Application (JPA), available online at: http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/regulatory/webTidewaterJPA2004.pdf

Other Federal and International • Endangered Species Act – Protects wetlands that offer Regulations, Policies and Agreements that unique habitat for endangered and threatened species. affect Virginia wetlands Administered by the FWS For more on Federal Wetlands Laws and Regulations go to: • Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA, 16 U.S.C. §§ http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/laws/ 1451 et. Seq.) – Encourages state planning activities in the coastal zone and commits the Federal government International Agreements to refrain from conducting or permitting activities in the coastal zone that are inconsistent with state plans. Thus, • Ramsar Convention (1975) – U.S. became a member states can use the CZMA to limit wetland activities that in 1986. FWS responsible for implementing within the require Federal permits. U.S. Partners are obligated to include wetland conservation into their natural resources planning process, to • National Environmental Policy Act (1969) – Federal promote the wise use of wetlands and to designate at government agencies must prepare environmental impact least one wetland for inclusion in the List of Wetlands of statements on major and relevant Federal actions International Importance • Executive Order 11990 (1977) – Federal agencies are • North American Waterfowl Management Act required to take action to minimize the destruction, loss (1986) – Managed cooperatively by all three North or degradation of wetlands and to preserve the natural American countries and sets goals for wetland conserva- values of wetlands on all Federal lands tion and waterfowl habitat • Federal Rivers and Harbors Act, Section 10 • North American Wetlands Conservation Act – pro- (1899) – Gives authority to the Corps to prohibit discharge vides matching grants to public and private entities in of solids or construction into tidal and navigable or adja- North America for wetlands conservation programs cent waters. Navigable waters are tidal or have been used or are presently being used for the transport of interstate (Information obtained from CBP, 1997; Firehock et al., 1998; or foreign commerce. and McCarthy, 2001.) • Food Securities Act (Farm Bill) – Known as the “Swampbuster” Act, denies Federal subsidies for conversion of wetlands to agricultural uses

24 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? 3 In 2000, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Nontidal Wetlands Act that amended Section 62.1-44.15:5 of the Code of Virginia and removed the dependence of the State Nontidal Wetlands Program on the issuance of a Federal permit to the Corps, thus enabling DEQ to use the VWP Program to regulate activities in all nontidal wetlands (DEQ, August 2005). This was extremely important for wetlands protection because in 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that removed Federal protection for many isolated wetlands, including headwater wetlands. Because Virginia has a statewide wetland program independent of Federal wetland programs, DEQ regulates isolated wetlands, regardless of Federal jurisdiction. Activities such as certain types of excavation in wetlands (which may not be under Federal jurisdiction) were also added to the activities already regulated through the Section 401 Certification process (DEQ, August 2005).

• Virginia Tidal Wetlands Program – The VMRC has the responsibility for issuing tidal wetlands permits under Chapters 12 and 13 of Title 28.2 of the Code of Virginia, as a result of the enactment of the Tidal Wetlands Act of 1972. Chapter 12 refers to subaqueous lands and Chapter 13 refers to tidal wetlands, both vegetated and nonvegetated (See the Regulatory Definitions of Tidal Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands Sidebar for more

information). Localities in “Tidewater” adapted from JLARC have citizen-run Local Wetland Boards (LWBs), which adopt model wetland Map showing location of Tidewater, Virginia. This is the location regulated by the Chesapeake Bay zoning ordinances for tidal wetlands. Preservation Act as well as localities with Local Wetland Boards These LWBs regulate tidal wetlands. VMRC maintains oversight authority Wetland Boards. The Corps maintains a listing of contacts for these Wetland Boards and in areas where boards do not for these wetlands Boards at http://www.nao.usace.army. exist; the VMRC remains the main authority. The Virginia mil/Regulatory/wetlandsboard.htm. Only VWMC has regula- Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) provides scientific advice tory authority for submerged aquatic lands. and technical assistance to both VMRC as well as the local

Regulatory Definitions of Tidal Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands:

Tidal wetlands are tidally influenced areas within Tidewater Virginia, contiguous to mean low water extending landward to an elevation 1 1/2 times the mean tide range at a site and upon which is growing certain listed plant species. Legal tidal wetlands can also include “nonvegetated wetlands” which include unvegetated lands between mean low water and mean high water tides (Association of State Wetland Mangers, 2005).

Subaqueous lands include all beds of the bays, rivers, creeks and shores of the sea that are owned by the Commonwealth. To clarify, VMRC regulates all tidal waterways as well as nontidal, perennial waterways where the upstream drainage area is 5 square miles or greater.

25 3 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? Restoration and Creation are terms explained in more detail under the last part of this section, Volunteer Efforts for “Net Gain.” A mitigation bank is a wetland area that has been restored or created and then earmarked to compensate for future wetland impacts. Rather than mitigating for impacts at or near the site of development, the entity responsible for compensatory mitigation purchases “credits” as part of a mitigation bank (Firehock et al., 1998). An in-lieu fee fund is slightly different from a mitigation bank in that, although the developer still pays a fee for unavoidable impacts, the fee is given to a public natural resources agency or a nongovernmental organization that then restores or creates wetland resources on other parcels of land (DEQ, 2005). Adapted from JLARC

Compensatory Wetlands Mitigation – More information on compensatory mitigation as part of Virginia’s meeting “no net loss” goal Water Protection Program may be found at http://www.deq. The Commonwealth of Virginia supports the Federal “No Net virginia.gov/wetlands/mitigate.html. Loss” wetlands policy and is, in fact, mandated by the revised Code of Virginia pertaining to wetlands to achieve “no net loss More information on the Virginia Administrative Code may be of existing wetland acreage and function”. Additionally, Virginia found at http://leg1.state.va.us/000/reg/TOC.HTM#T0009 is a signatory to the 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement, which states that the signatories’ regulatory programs must achieve a no net loss of existing wetland acreage and function. Useful Contacts and Links for The VWP permit regulations require that all impacts to wetlands Virginia Regulations: that cannot be avoided or minimized must be mitigated. • Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s Basically this means that impacted wetlands must be replaced Wetland Program: (compensated) by both acreage as well as function. This is termed compensatory mitigation. - http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wetlands/homepage.html

Compensatory mitigation can generally include: • The State Water Control Law (§§ 62.1-44.15 and 62.1- 44.15:5 of the Code of Virginia) can be found at: • Restoration - http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504. • Creation exe?000+cod+TOC6201000 • Purchase or use of mitigation bank credits, or a • Virginia Marine Resources Commission: http://www. mrc.state.va.us/ • Contribution to an approved in-lieu fee fund • Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department: http:// • Preservation www.cblad.virginia.gov/ Note: Preservation of wetlands alone cannot be accepted by • Virginia Coastal Program: http://www.deq.virginia. state regulations. For more information on acceptable wetland gov/coastal/homepage.html compensation options, please refer to the Virginia Administrative Code, Title 9, Agency 25, Chapter 210 (Abbreviated 9-VAC 25-210)

26 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? 3 Other Programs and Policies that affect The Success of Wetlands Net Gain “Rests on Virginia Wetlands Many Shoulders” The Virginia Coastal Program is part of a national coastal zone In recent years, Federal and state government agencies as management program, a voluntary partnership between the well as a number of private non-profit organizations have Federal government, U.S. coastal states and territories authorized accomplished voluntary wetland measures on public and by the CZMA. To manage Virginia’s coastal resources, the Virginia private lands. These groups work together and individually Coastal Program was established in 1986 and relies on a network to restore wetlands, provide funding sources and to apply for of state agencies and local governments to administer the grants. Section 4 describes this process in more detail and lists enforceable laws, regulations and policies that protect our coastal resources for technical and financial assistance and includes resources. The DEQ serves as the lead agency for Virginia’s case studies. Coastal Program (Virginia Coastal Program [VCP], 2005). Need to Think Outside of the Box – As we move into the The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act, commonly known future, the success of this wetlands goal relies more than ever as “The Bay Act,” was adopted by the Virginia General on the involvement of cooperative and creative stakeholders. Assembly in 1988, and is designed to improve water quality in A stakeholder is a term for any individual or organization that the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries by requiring wise has an interest in something. When referring to wetlands in the resource management practices in the use and development broadest sense, everyone is a stakeholder when it comes to of environmentally sensitive land features, including tidal wetlands, because they belong to all of us (Definition adapted and nontidal wetlands (CBP, 1997). The Bay Act created the from Utah Department of Natural Resources [UDNR], 2005). Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department (CBLAD) to work with local governments within the “tidewater” Virginia (the Stakeholders include private or public landowners same area with wetland boards). These local governments throughout the Commonwealth and can include: must develop their own Local Bay Act program to incorporate water quality protection into their comprehensive plans, • Federal agencies zoning and subdivision ordinances. Each of these localities • State agencies has been required to develop Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas, including both Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) and • Local governments, including Public Works, Water quality, Resource Management Areas (RMAs). RPAs are sensitive Natural Resources and Planning Departments lands at or near the shoreline, which include buffer zones that • Regional Planning District Commissions include tidal and nontidal wetlands. RMAs are contiguous lands landward of the RPAs that have the potential to damage water • Soil and Water Conservation Districts quality (CBP, 1997 and CBLAD, 2004). • Resource Conservation, Development Councils Voluntary Efforts for “Net Gain” • Land Trust Organizations of Wetlands in Virginia • K-12 schools In addition to protecting our remaining wetlands, it has become • Colleges & Universities evident that further steps are necessary to enhance our wetland resources. The Commonwealth of Virginia works to achieve “no • Business Owners net loss” of wetlands by requiring compensatory mitigation for • Private Citizens impacts that cannot be avoided or minimized. Concurrent to this required mitigation, the Commonwealth is actively pursuing a • Civic Associations “net gain” of wetlands through voluntary measures to help further • Watershed-based or other environmental organizations offset historic and impending losses. In fact, the Code of Virginia (Section 62.1-44.15:5) requires that voluntary and incentive Types of land that can be used for voluntary wetland based programs be developed to achieve a net resource gain in measures can also vary and may include: wetlands. • Municipal Lands Goal - Net Gain of 10,000 Wetland Acres by 2010 • Agricultural lands The Commonwealth of Virginia has embarked on an effort to • Reclaimed surface coal mine lands achieve a net resource gain of 10,000 acres of wetlands statewide by the year 2010 (Virginia Wetlands Restoration Coordinating • Correctional Facilities Committee, 2001). The Commonwealth committed to restoring • Commercial developments 6,000 new acres of wetlands within the Chesapeake Bay watershed by June 2010, as part of the 2000 Chesapeake Bay • Private Residences, urban, suburban and rural Agreement. In addition, Virginia set a goal to restore 4,000 acres • Educational Institutions outside of the Bay watershed. In collaboration with other Federal and state agencies and non-profit organizations, voluntary • Parks and Recreational Facilities, including wildlife manage- wetland restoration initiatives are under way (DEQ, July 2005). ment areas, refuges and natural preserves

27 3 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? Types of Voluntary Activities Voluntary wetland activities are often generally referred to as “restoration” and are often used interchangeably. However, there are actually four main types of voluntary wetland activities, Preservation, Enhancement, Restoration and Creation. These terms are defined and described in Section 4 in more detail. To avoid confusion for the purposes of this ToolKit, we will refer to them as voluntary wetland activities when discussing them generally as a group. Microsoft office clip art

Thinking outside of the Box – Voluntary Wetland Measures require creativity and cooperation

28 What’s Going On with Virginia’s Wetlands? 3 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Take Action! Basic Ways to help

We must remember that we have the ability to implement change within our communities. Citizens can play a vital role in protecting one of Virginia’s most important natural assets- its wetlands. Do not forget to think “outside the box” and identify a role that you can play in the process of preserving wetlands. Here are a few suggestions for getting Never doubt that a small group of started: dedicated people can change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing Be gentle with your environment – The way we live on the land that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead affects the wetlands and rivers in Virginia. Many things you do at home, such as beneficial landscaping using native plants to filter runoff, reduce erosion and using native plants to conserve water and create wildlife habitat can positively affect our wetlands. Other beneficial actions such as and disposing of oil properly, driving less, using sulfide- free detergents, composting, recycling and conserving water few have positive impacts on the health of the environment, including wetlands.

Join a group that is working to protect wetlands – When we work together, we can accomplish much more. Support a local group working to protect wetlands by contributing your time, energy and talents. Oftentimes, these local conservation groups have hand-on restoration projects involving wetland restoration, creation and maintenance projects. Share your knowledge and concerns with friends and neighbors and encourage them to become involved in the process. If you belong to a civic group, garden club, or outdoor recreation group, help get them involved in wetlands protection in your community. Find a local watershed group in your community or find out other ways to contribute to the conservation of Virginia’s wetlands. The Southeast Watershed Forum has an online listing of watershed-based community groups at http://www.southeastwaterforum.org/directory/virginia_sum. asp. If you live in the Chesapeake Bay region, you can also visit the Chesapeake Bay Program web site at http://www.chesapeakebay. net/involved.htm.

Get involved in your local government process – Comment on public notices and attend public hearings concerning wetland permits and regulations. Schedules of public hearings can be found in your local newspaper or by calling your local Corps office. Keep abreast of the environmental issues in your community. Encourage your local government representatives to adopt and support innovative land use planning and low impact development initiatives that would conserve and protect wetlands. Let your voice be heard!

Become knowledgeable about Virginia’s wetlands – The more informed you are, the more effective you can be. Local conservation groups, nature centers, state parks and museums offer wetlands trips and courses. Visit and explore wetlands highlighted in Section 2, Wetlands to See, Wildlife to Visit, and continue to use this ToolKit to learn about their value and ecology. Find out where wetlands exist in your local community and support their protection and continued educational efforts.

Identify and learn about wetlands on your property – Identify wetlands on your property and avoid these areas if undergoing any construction projects. Continue to learn about the valuable habitat and Top and Bottom: Volunteers participating in Growing Native Acorn collection project. Middle photos: 2001 Earth Day participants learning about watersheds and wetlands (All Photos by Moulds, Alliance) 29 functions of your wetland and become familiar with the plants and animals that are found in the area. Take an opportunity to treat it as a unique respite and opportunity to observe and enjoy a unique ecosystem. Your wetland can serve as a lasting educational tool to familiarize your friends and neighbors with the majesty and value of this habitat. See the next chapter within this section of the ToolKit, Informational Tools, as well as Volunteer- Based Wetland Monitoring (Section 5) to learn how to study and monitor your wetland.

Enhance and restore wetlands on your property where former wetlands have been destroyed or degraded. In addition, maintain vegetative buffer areas around wetlands to conserve habitat values for fish and wildlife. Read the following section, Hands On Voluntary Wetland Activities, for more in-depth information about these types of activities you can undertake. Subsequent chapters will teach you about tools for identifying potential sites on which to perform your activities as well as where you can obtain financial as well as technical assistance. Hands on Voluntary Wetland Activities: Introducing Protection, Enhancement, Creation and Restoration

“In the long run it is the cumulative effect that matters. One can do much. And one and one and one and one can move mountains.” ~Joan Ward-Harris Defining Basic Types of Voluntary Wetland Activities

Voluntary wetland activities are often generally referred to as “restoration” and are often used interchangeably. However, there are actually four main types of voluntary wetland activities: Preservation, Enhancement, Restoration and Creation, defined below (Virginia Wetlands Restoration Coordinating Committee, 2001).

• Preservation – The protection of existing wetlands (or other aquatic resources) in perpetuity through the implementation of appropriate legal and physical mechanisms, such as acquisition by purchase or donation, negotiated conservation easement or conservation tax incentive. These protection measures prevent the conversion of a wetland to another use. • Enhancement – The increase of one or more functions or values of an existing wetland or other aquatic resource. Enhancement can include increasing the productivity, habitat, or water quality value of the wetland by modify- ing environmental parameters (vegetative plantings, for example, to increase wildlife habitat). • Restoration – The re-establishment of a wetland in an area where it historically existed. A common example of restoration includes the re-establishment of wetland hydrology in a wetland that has been drained for cropland. Top: Young volunteer at SAV restoration project; remaining photos: Alliance volunteers planting wetland plants at the Friends of Bandy Field enhancement project (Photos by Alliance)”

30 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 • Creation – The establishment of a wetland in an area where return the site to its original features. Oftentimes, however, full one did not formerly exist. Examples include establishing a historic restoration is not feasible due to limits such as financial wetland on an upland site and the filling a pond to produce a constraints, timelines and people-power. wetland. Take Advantage of assistance: There are many opportunities To avoid confusion for the purposes of this ToolKit, we will refer to for assistance on your project, both technical and financial. all four of these as “voluntary wetland activities” when discussing Technical and financial assistance is discussed in greater detail in them generally as a group. the Getting Help portion of this section. Before You Begin – Planning Preservation The type of voluntary wetland activity you decide to undertake Preservation options for Virginia landowners include donation, depends on who you are, your goals and objectives, resources sale, conservation easements, natural area dedications, and and limiting characteristics. As with other pursuits, when registration as a natural area. The first two options are discussed performing voluntary wetland activities you generally aim for the below. More information concerning natural area dedications and most “bang for your buck.” To do so requires careful planning and registrations may be obtained by contacting the DCR’s Office of often compromises between your goals and limitations. Land Conservation.

Step 1 – Determining Goals and Objectives • Donation – Landowners can donate property rights to a state agency, local government, and land trust or conserva- Oftentimes your organizational identify and jurisdiction alone tion organization. Donation can also be performed for the determine to a large part, the extent of your interest and activities. future as part of a will. Donations qualify for tax deductions Examples of each of the four voluntary wetland activities and potentially reduced real estate taxes. undertaken by different entities are included below: • Sale – Landowners can also sell their property at a price • Preservation of an existing wetland below fair market value. The price difference is considered Examples include: a private landowner wishing to preserve a charitable donation that may be eligible for income tax a family wetland tract through a conservation easement; The deductions, reduced estate taxes and minimizing long term Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve, a 60-mile capital gain taxes associated with the sale of a large estate stretch of barrier islands that are now a nature preserve, located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore; • Permanent conservation easement – Conservation easements differ from the donation or sale of land in that • Enhancement of an existing wetland ownership is still retained. Under a conservation ease- Examples include a Boy Scout troop that builds and installs ment, most development rights are relinquished, but some wood duck boxes in a bottomland wetland that lacks traditional uses are still retained. A conservation easement sufficient nesting sites; A National Wildlife Refuge that is a legally binding and permanent deed to the property. undertakes an invasive species control project in a wetland Easements are tailored so that the land’s unique character- • Restoration of a former wetland that has been altered istics – in this case, wetlands – are protected. Life estates Examples include: a local watershed organization that are another option within conservation easements. In this restores a tidal wetland by restoring the tidal connection; a situation, a landowner donates or sells their property to a regional nonprofit organization that restores the hydrology land conservation organization but continues to live on it and vegetation to a former wetland drained for agricultural until his or her death. purposes (See the Case Study highlights for the Oscar More information about conservation easements: Landing and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation projects) • DCR’s Office of Land Conservation: • Creation of a wetland where one has never existed http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/olc/ Examples include the creation of a vernal pool at a high school to be used as a teaching site • Virginia Open-Space Land Act: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi- bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+10.1-1700 Beyond this, goals need to be further defined in more detail. Although projects should be designed to fulfill multiple goals, • Virginia Conservation Easement Act: http://leg1.state. at least one major objective, followed by several secondary va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+10.1-1009 objectives should be identified (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). The • Sample Conservation Easement template: enhancement, replacement or creation of functions and values www.virginiaoutdoorsfoundation.org/easement.html should be an important consideration (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). Possible goals include: flood control, stormwater management, • Publications available about land conservation: water quality improvements, wildlife or fisheries enhancement, www.lta.org/publications/easement_lib.htm and research and education (Mitsch &Gosselink, 2000). • For details on tax advantages for all of these Preservation Step 2 – Narrowing the Possibilities measures: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/olc/tools03.htm. Know your limits: Usually the ultimate goal of wetland voluntary wetland activities is to reverse historical impacts and

31 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities • To download a brochure that details state agencies’ pro- Less than ideal locations: grams suited to help you conserve your land: http://www.state.va.us/dcr/olc/landcon.pdf • Areas with highly drainable soils (upland or non-hydric soils) are not likely to have sufficient wetland hydrology The Getting Help section of this chapter includes contacts for technical and financial assistance with land preservation. To • Areas with moderate to steep topography generally do not find a Land Trust organization in your area, visit the Land Trust have sufficient hydrology to support a wetland Alliance’s webpage for Virginia organizations at http://www.lta. • Areas where the site and adjacent lands are incompatible org/findlandtrust/VA.htm. with a wetland project that will meet desired goals – If the is already developed as a commercial, industrial or residential Narrowing Down the Search for Enhancement, site (or if such uses are planned and zoned accordingly for Restoration and Creation Activities the near future) and there is insufficient room remaining on the property for voluntary activities, it is unlikely that it is a • Location, location, location! When considering undertak- ing a voluntary wetland activity, oftentimes the exact location worthwhile site to consider. of the activity may not have been identified. There may be • For areas where wildlife and fisheries habitat is a goal, if the a large area that is under consideration, such as an entire size of the site is not large enough or is not connected to an county if the stakeholder is a local government, or an entire ecological corridor such as migratory flyway or spawning watershed if the stakeholder is a watershed organization. If runs, the project may be unsuccessful this is the case, you will need to prioritize your search. • Sites with existing valuable habitat, including that which can • Restoration and enhancement projects are generally or does support rare, threatened or endangered species more feasible than creation projects. When choosing – For example, an upland site that supports a rare plant or sites, the aim should be to select those with the highest animal species is still very valuable even through it is not a chances of success versus the least amount of cost and wetland. Additionally, the removal of forest habitat to create difficulty. For restoration and creation activities, sites with an emergent wetland is not ideal. the highest chances of success are those where wetland hydrology and vegetation can most easily be achieved. Other considerations: Likewise proper soil conditions are necessary for the suc- • Ownership of land – project may be more difficult when you cessful health of enhancement projects. Restoration and don’t own the land enhancement projects will likely have proper wetland soils as well as seed sources for native plants onsite or nearby. • Size – in general, the larger the better, in terms of return on Additionally, it may be easier to achieve wetland hydrology investment for values and functions in an enhancement or restoration site than in a location • Maintenance – aiming for sites that require minimal where a wetland never existed previously. maintenance • Wetland creation can be costly and difficult and there- • Utilities present or absent? – both above or belowground fore smaller sites are recommended for stakeholders with smaller budgets. • Site contamination – present or absent? Could pose health risk and be expensive to remediate Sites to prioritize in your search: • Cultural resources – potential for project impacts? • Existing wetlands (for enhancement and restoration projects) and areas adjacent to wetland areas that could easily • Public/Construction Access – desirable or undesirable? be modified to become a wetland (for creation projects) Available or not? • Former wetlands where the hydrology has been removed • Permitting considerations through the use of drains or ditches for cropland, pasture- Develop Screening Criteria For Prioritization land, or other purposes (for restoration projects) Different stakeholders will have different prioritization methods. • Former tidal wetlands (including those that are still wetlands For example, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Ducks but are now freshwater) where the tidal connection has been Unlimited (DU), DGIF and the FWS’s Partners for Fish and disconnected through the placement of a road, berm or Wildlife program all focus site prioritization for restoration other development (tidal restoration projects) projects on former wetlands that have been drained or ditched • Sites where natural inundation or saturation is frequent. The for agricultural purposes. DU additionally prioritizes its activities tidal cycle and stage are important in tidal areas on establishing waterfowl habitat, whereas the ultimate goal for the CBF is improved water quality for the Chesapeake Bay • Former or existing wetlands where the vegetation and soils watershed. Alternatively, an organization that focuses efforts in have been altered through actions such as plowing and urban or highly degraded areas may have no other choice than tilling on cropland or through grazing on pastureland (for to choose what may seem as “less than ideal” situations to other enhancement and restoration projects) stakeholder groups. (Adapted from Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000).

32 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 • Removal of invasive plants – to aid in native plant establishment. For certain invasive plant species, eradication may not be possible and control may be a better goal. • Creation of buffer zones around wetland areas – planting trees or native grasses in upland areas to protect against disturbance and soil erosion in the wetland area • Excluding or limiting domesticated animals – horses, cattle and even dogs and cats, all of which can be detrimental in some way to wetlands • Wildlife control – may be necessary for unchecked populations of invasive wildlife species that can be detrimental to wetlands such as large populations of resident Canada geese or nutria • Restricting off road vehicles – off- road vehicles can cause soil erosion and damage plant roots

Priest/ERP • Wildlife habitat additions – strategic placement of birdhouses, nesting Example spreadsheet demonstrating how the Elizabeth River Project prioritized its search boxes and platforms, feeding stations, for restoration sites using a simple spreadsheet tree stumps and small brush piles Oftentimes, it all comes down to Ownership of • Construction of trails, boardwalks and blinds – encour- land as main determinant ages human enjoyment while limiting damage to wetlands by reducing traffic to specific areas. During breeding and nest- What to do if you don’t own the land? As the majority of ing seasons, access may need to be restricted or closed wetlands across the nation are privately owned, chances are high that the wetland you are interested in helping is also located on (Adapted from Kellselheim & Slattery, 1995) private property (Firehock et al., 1998). A word of caution about enhancement – In pristine Don’t despair – remember to think “outside of the box!” situations, wetlands manage just fine without any help from First, contact your local government to research land ownership us. There are few wetlands or other natural resources, though, through tax records. Once you have determined who owns the that still qualify as pristine. Nonetheless, more intrusive land (ownership may include multiple entities), there are two main enhancement actions such as fish stocking, introducing a plant routes that may be taken: species, or altering water flow can have seriously detrimental effects, such as the introduction of an invasive species (as • Land Acquisition – Purchasing the land is one option for in the case with fish or plant introductions) or flooding of a land preservation and other voluntary wetland activities. neighbor’s property for altering flow conditions (adapted from • Work cooperatively with the landowner(s) to encourage Kellselheim & Slattery, 1995). voluntary wetland activities – This can be especially effective if citizen groups or other stakeholders interested in Additionally, enhancement actions that may appeal to us may wetland restoration activities establish a positive dialogue not be the best thing for the wetland. Study a wetland area and approach the situation and landowner(s) in a non first to determine enhancement needs. A lack of plant and confrontational manner. wildlife diversity when studied in greater detail can help to clue us in as to what enhancement activities would be best for a Enhancement wetland. (Adapted from Kellselheim & Slattery, 1995). Technical Enhancement activities may include: assistance from a wetland professional as to the best types and methods for enhancement measures is highly recommended. • Native vegetation plantings – to increase plant diversity as well as to increase habitat for food, shelter and cover for wildlife of interest.

33 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Restoration Resources for Creation Projects • Restoring tidal connections to a site that was formerly a tidal wetland by removing berms, roads or other features A Guide to Creating Vernal Ponds: All the Information that disconnected tidal flow you Need to Build and Maintain an Ephemeral Wetland. • Restoring hydrology to former wetlands that have been Bieghauser, T.R. (n.d.). Morehead, KY: USDA Forest drained or ditched for agriculture or development. This can Service. Small, handbook aimed for citizen groups be accomplished by using the following techniques: with helpful photographs and diagrams. Available Ditch plugging: Many former wetlands sites have a for download: http://herpcenter.ipfw.edu/outreach/ ditch or several ditches. The Great Dismal Swamp, one VernalPonds/VernalPondGuide.pdf of the most studied wetlands in the nation, was severely POW! The Planning of Wetlands: An Educator’s Guide. impacted by human activities including ditching and Ripple, K.L. & Garbisch, E.W. (2000). St. Michaels, MD: draining activities (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). The least Environmental Concern Inc. Aimed for K-12 educators expensive and easiest restoration procedure for revers- interested in creating, restoring or enhancing followed ing ditching is to simply plug the ditch at its lowest point. by monitoring of a wetland in their schoolyard. Although Plugging may require periodic extensive maintenance. Ditches can also be backfilled. Ditches often are rimmed geared for educators, much of the information is useful with an earthen berm that can be pushed back into the for volunteers of all kinds. For more information, contact ditch and re-contoured (Thompson & Luthin, 2004). Environmental Concern Inc., http://www.wetland.org/ P.O. Box P, St. Michaels, MD 21663-0480, Tel. (410) 745-9620. Disabling of drain tiles: Drain tiles are hollow tubes buried underground, usually in parallel lines. Water Resources for Invasive Plant Species collects in the drains and is carried offiste via the tiles. Identification and Control Early tiles were made of wood, followed by clay, concrete and plastic. Drain tiles can be located and then disabled Citizen’s Guide to the Control of Invasive Plants in by excavation. Drain tiles can be identified by examining Wetland and Riparian Areas. Alliance for the Chesapeake historic aerial photographs or by searching for tile lines Bay. (2003) This booklet offers a survey of the efforts with probes. When disabling drain tiles, it is important of a variety of groups that have mobilized volunteers in to remove them and to additionally disable the space order to control invasive plants in natural areas. Available created by the compacted soil surrounding the tile lines. for download: http://www.acb-online.org/pubs/projects/ Clay tiles can be crushed and reburied (Thompson and deliverables-251-1-2005.pdf Luthin, 2004). The Natural Heritage Program has many fact sheets on Invasive Plant Species of concern in Virginia, available for download: http://www.state.va.us/dcr/dnh/bookeduc. htm#invasive Resources for Restoration and Enhancement Projects

Propagation of Wetland Plants: Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees. McIninch , S. H. & Garbisch, E.W. (2003). St. Michaels, MD: Environmental Concern Inc.

For more information, contact Environmental Concern CBF Inc., http://www.wetland.org/ P.O. Box P, St. Michaels, MD Old clay drainage tiles 21663-0480, Tel. (410) 745-9620. Contains information on how to propagate wetland plants, from seed and perennnial plant parts, to be used in wetland projects.

Wetland Habitat Management: a guide for landowners. Ducks Unlimited (DU). (n.d.). Stevensville, MD: Ducks Unlimited, Mid-Atlantic Field Office. A handbook aimed as a reference manual for citizens on wetland enhancement, restoration and management techniques. Contains helpful diagrams explaining common enhancement and restoration practices. Available for downloading: http:// www.ducks.org/conservation/Projects/GreatLakesAtlantic/ CBF documents/LandownerGuide.pdf Photo showing trench where drain tiles have recently been excavated. It is important to fill this area back in with soil to avoid a drainage conduit.

34 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 Some final “words of wisdom” for all Topographic Maps enhancement, restoration and creation projects Topographic maps are 2-dimentional maps that use contour Give the project time – As natural wetlands take time to lines to render the three-dimensional elevation and shape of the develop, so will enhanced, restored or created wetlands. Several land. In addition to showing natural features such as mountains, to many years may be required prior to plant establishment, valleys, plains, lakes, rivers, and vegetation, they also show wildlife habitat or other desired functions to come to fruition manmade features such as roads, boundaries, transmission (Mitsch & Gosselink, 2000). lines, and major buildings (http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/ topo/topo.html). You are not alone – Technical assistance from a wetland professional as to the best types and methods for enhancement The best-known topographic maps are 1:24,000-scale maps measures is highly recommended. The Getting Help portion produced by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), also known of this section contains information about financial as well as as 7.5-minute quadrangles. More than 54,000 7.5-minute maps technical assistance for voluntary wetland activities. were made to cover the 48 conterminous States. (http://erg.usgs. gov/isb/pubs/booklets/topo/topo.html). The 7.5-minute map series Informational Tools for Targeting Potential was officially completed in 1992. The program has recently been Sites for Voluntary Wetland Activities replaced by The National Map, an online, interactive map service (http://nationalmap.usgs.gov/). All topographic maps from the “Maps are a way of organizing wonder. “ ~ Peter Steinhart, 1986 7.5-minute program, as well as various derived products, remain available for sale from the USGS. This chapter discusses tools such as maps and aerial photographs that are useful for targeting sites for voluntary wetland activities. Information on how to obtain these tools is also How to read and use Topographic Maps: provided. These tools will also prove useful for learning more about your site(s) once you have narrowed down your search.

This chapter is divided into six sections: Topographic Maps; National Wetland Inventory (NWI) Maps; Soil Surveys; Aerial Photographs; Geographical Informational Systems (GIS) Resources; and Other Tools. Important Points to Make Concerning Informational Tools

• None of the tools should be used as “stand-alone” documents when performing your targeting. In other words, to best narrow down your search, the more tools you have the better in order to obtain a more complete estimate of conditions.

• Pay attention to the date that each tool was prepared, Understanding Features: remembering that changes in land use could have occurred since that time. Although it may be difficult to find historic • Area features: forested vegetation (indicated as copies of the various tools, previous editions of each tool, green); water (blue); densely built-up areas (gray or when used in combination of current editions, can be useful red); information added with update (purple) to indicate changes that have occurred to your sites of inter- • Line features: topographic contours (brown); roads, est. boundaries, railroads, etc. • Remember these are tools only, each one its own • Point symbols: depict features such as buildings, limitations. There are always fundamental limitations in wells, campgrounds, etc. mapping scale Reading Topographic Contours: Topographic contour • Once you have narrowed your search to one or a few sites, lines are imaginary lines that join points of equal land on-site verification of your findings should always be elevation. Topographic contours are lines of equal performed. elevation and therefore never cross. Topographic lines are brown. Contours that are very close together indicate • Partnering with agencies and organizations for the use steep slopes while lines that are wide apart indicates of certain tools and other resources is recommended. An gradual slope or near level terrain. entity that is interested in your area of interest may already have many of the tools you are interested in using and may More information about how to read topo maps and already know plenty about the conditions and history of your symbol explanations may be found at: site. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/symbols/

35 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Tips for using Topographic Maps for identifying potential sites for voluntary wetland activities

• Look for areas adjacent to streams or water bodies, especially areas with wide floodplains • Understanding Digital Cartographic Data: Several types of digital data is available from the USGS, • Look for low-lying areas, depressions, and headwaters including from Business Partners. For more informa- • For creation projects: look for unforested areas tion go to http://geography.usgs.gov/esic/to_order.html • Explanation of digital data types: - Digital Line Graphs (DLG) – small files of data derived from USGS topographic quadrangle maps, arranged in layers, generally for use in geographic information systems (GIS) - Digital Elevation Models (DEM) – elevation data (similar data also available in seamless set known as National Elevation Data, or NED) - Digital Raster Graphics (DRG) – scanned topographic maps The site indicated as “worst” is an unlikely candidate for creation due to the steep topography. The sites labeled “Best” and “still - Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles (DOQ) – possible” are both located adjacent to a stream with nearly level to digitized and ortho-rectified renderings of flat topography, indicated by the lack of contours. The site labeled National Aerial Photography Program products as “best” is a more likely candidate for creation projects because it is unforested while the “still possible” site is indicated as forested (color version of map is shaded green). For protection, restoration and enhancement projects this is not critical, unless you are specifically looking for unforested areas such as emergent wetlands.

Obtaining Topographic Maps

• Topographic maps with a smaller scales (zoomed in - TerraSever – on online service that contains high-res- or close up) than 7.5 minute quadrangle: olution USGS aerial imagery and USGS topographic maps that can be viewed and downloaded for free. - Local government planning/zoning offices http://terraserver-usa.com/ - Also check to see if a site survey has been performed - Topozone – on online service that contains USGS • USGS Topographic Maps (online, hardcopy, and/or topographic maps that can be viewed for free. http:// digital): www.topozone.com. Purchasing requires subscription - USGS: to Topozone Pro. http://geography.usgs.gov/esic/to_order.html 1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747): - National Geographic – CD-ROM contains all P.O. Box 25286 topographic maps set for the Mid-Atlantic region: Denver, CO 80225 http://www.trailsillustrated.com/acb/showdetl. USGS Business Partners: cfm?&DID=15&Product_ID=943&CATID=35 http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/acis-bin/querypartner.cgi o Digital format for ArcGIS also available: - Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/topo/ Energy (DMME), Division of Mineral Resources extension.cfm (DMR): http://www.mme.state.va.us/DMR/PUB/ maplist2.html#topo 434-951-6341 P.O. Box 3667 Charlottesville, VA 22903

36 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps

The National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps are based on the NWI classification system developed by the FWS and provide information on the status and extent of wetlands and deepwater habitats. Hardcopy NWI maps are printed on a blueprint and are overlain on top of USGS 7.5 minute quadrangles. The FWS recently completed or revised the over 800 NWI maps necessary to cover all of Virginia (Hershner et al., 2003). Efforts are currently underway by the FWS to produce a seamless digital data set for the entire Nation. Digital data sets contain additional information as part of The National Map effort.

How to Read and Use NWI Maps: Wetland and deepwater habitats are displayed as polygons using the alphanumeric codes corresponding to the classification nomenclature that best describes the habitat. A wetland key to the alphanumeric system is located at the bottom of each hardcopy map. The diagram above shows two different polygon shaped wetland features: L2EM2F (Lacustrine [L], littoral [2, meaning along the shoreline], emergent [EM], nonpersistent vegetation [2], semi permanent water regime [F]); and PSS1F (Palustrine [P], scrub-shrub vegetation [SS], broad leaved deciduous vegetation [1], semi permanent water regime [F]) surrounding an upland feature (polygon labeled with “u”, indicating an upland area. A solid and dashed line indicates a linear Riverine feature. For online maps, an online codes link is available from the NWI website.

Tips for using NWI Maps for identifying potential sites for voluntary wetland activities:

• For protection, enhancement and restoration projects- look for areas indicated as wetlands. • For creation projects, look for areas adjacent to wetlands • Fore restoration projects, compare historic NWI maps to recent NWI maps to identify sites that previously wetlands but that are no longer. Precautions with using NWI maps:

As the NWI maps are created from aerial photos, some types of wetlands, particularly smaller forested wetlands, may not appear on the NWI maps.

The site indicated by the arrow is the same as that labeled as “ Best” in the topographic map section for a creation project. The general area is potentially a candidate for a creation project, because although it is not indicated as being a wetland, it located close to several riverine (R) and palustrine (P) wetlands. Any of the areas indicated as wetlands may be potential sites for protection, enhancement or restoration.

37 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Obtaining NWI maps (online, hardcopy and digital): NWI wetland information has been collected and disseminated • Online (Viewing and customized downloads): NWI over the past several decades. Therefore, the data exist in Wetlands Mapper – Digital NWI data: different formats: http://wetlandsfws.er.usgs.gov/intro.html

• Hardcopy – (Standard-sized 7.5’ paper composites) • Custom digital NWI maps for purchase (to download): for purchase from USGS Cooperator-run Distribution http://www.charttiff.com/WetLandMaps/index.html Centers. For Virginia NWI maps http://www.umass.edu/tei/esio/wtlnd.html • VIMS Wetlands Data Viewer tool – allows users to Earth Science Information Center obtain NWI statistics for any hydrologic unit in Virginia. at University of Massachusetts Localities are divided by county or municipality. http:// Blaisdell House ccrm.vims.edu//disclaimer_wetlandsdataviewer.html Amherst, MA 01003 (413) 545-0359 For more information about obtaining NWI maps, go to http:// wetlandsfws.er.usgs.gov/intro.html

Soil Surveys Tips to using soil surveys for identifying potential sites for voluntary wetland activities: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) produces soil surveys. Soil surveys are produced for most counties • Obtain a Hydric soils list for your area of interest from and some cities and contain maps showing the locations and the Local NRCS office – This list contains hydric soils and extent of soils as well as data about the physical and chemical oftentimes fluvaquents (soils formed from frequent flood- properties of those soils. The maps are underlain by aerial ing, often found in floodplains) and hydric inclusions (hydric photographs and show soil boundaries as well as linear features soils located within larger non hydric soil complexes). These such as roads and drainage features and point features such as soils are on this list because they have been found to share buildings. characteristics due to their formation under conditions of saturation, ponding or flooding for a long enough time period to have developed anaerobic conditions. They generally share characteristics such as poor drainage, a high water table, are found on flat or nearly level slope, or are located in a floodplain.

• Identify Hydric soils and fluvaquents on your soil survey map – these indicate areas that have a high likelihood of either being a wetland at the time the soil survey was made or at some prior time.

• Once you have narrowed down your search, look for soils with hydric inclusions, which might indicate the presence of smaller wetlands at the time of the survey or at some prior time.

Precautions with using Soil Surveys

Precautions must be taken in using soil surveys for gathering hydric soil information because due to the scale of the surveys, map units will contain soils that are not all of the same type. Therefore a map unit that contains a soil type listed on the How to Read and Use Soil Surveys hydric soil list may contain inclusions of soils that are non hydric. Likewise, map units that are not on the hydric soils list may 1. The lines on the map separate different soil types, referred include inclusions of hydric soil. Once you have narrowed down to as map units. The alphanumeric labels, such as 10, 23, your search to one or a handful of sites, you should confirm your or 27D, designate the types of soil mapping units, which are findings by having someone such as a soils scientist visit the described within the narrative portion of the soil survey. site(s). 2. Note the perennial streams indicated by the —— _ _ _ —— symbol. (For more detailed instructions on reading soil surveys, go to http://soils.usda.gov/survey/how_to/)

38 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 Obtaining aerial photographs • Farm Service Agency (FSA) – The Aerial Photography Field Office (APFO) of the FSA is the primary source of aerial imagery for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Hard copies of aerial photographs are available for purchase for much of the country for years 1955 to present. Orders are all custom-made, as no stock of completed photography is on hand. Digital imagery is currently being archived and developed at the APFO to meet USDA Service Center requirements. More information on obtaining aerial photographs may be obtained by contacting the state FSA office or:http://www.apfo.usda.gov/ Virginia State FSA Office 1606 Santa Rosa Rd. Culpeper Building, Suite 138 Richmond, VA 23229 The site to the left of the arrow is the same as that labeled as “ Best” on the Phone: 804-287-1503 Topographic Map for a creation project. The general area is potentially a Fax: 804-287-1723 candidate for a creation project, because it is labeled as map unit “10.” Based on the codes description included in the soil survey, this refers to a soil unit • USGS – Aerial photographs may also be ordered from included on the hydric soils list for that particular county. Soil units 23 and the USGS through their Business Partner Program: 34B are also listed on the county’s hydric soils list and therefore have a high http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/acis-bin/querypartner. likelihood of either being a wetland at the time the soil survey was made or at cgi?results&sort=location. some prior time. • TerraSever – Online service that contains high-resolution USGS aerial imagery and USGS topographic maps Aerial photographs that can be viewed and downloaded for free: http://terraserver-usa.com/ Aerial photographs are a useful tool for understanding more about recent site conditions as well as providing clues to the past. • TopozonePro – Full-resolution 1-meter USGS aerial photographs available for purchase: Tips for using aerial photographs for identifying http://www.topozone.com/topozonepro.aspy potential sites for voluntary wetland activities: • Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) • Look for darkened areas, which may indicate the presence Current as well as historic aerial photographs, dating of water. back to the 1930s for some areas, available for purchase: (804) 786-2575 for more details • Look for sites adjacent to streams or water bodies • For creation projects: look for unforested areas Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is a type of computer system that can capture, store, analyze and display information geographically, or according to location. GIS allows users to view multiple layers of geographical-based data such as roads, topography, and wetlands at one time. “The power of a GIS comes from the ability to relate different information in a spatial context and to reach a conclusion about this relationship” (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS], December 2005). GIS also allows the user to “point” at an area, location or object on the computer screen and retrieve recorded information about it from off screen files.

The way maps and other data have been stored or filed as layers of information in a GIS makes it possible to perform complex analyses. For example, GIS can be used to analyze NWI maps, The site framed by the two arrows is the same as that labeled as “ Best” on USGS topographic maps, and soil maps to produce a new map the Topographic Map for a creation project. The general area is potentially a layer or overlay that ranks the wetlands according to certain candidate for a creation project, because it is unforested and is located close criteria. GIS can therefore be a valuable tool to research large to several stream systems that appear to be forested or shrub-scrub. The area amounts of geographical data for large areas. below the top arrow is lighter in color and is most likely a crop field.

39 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities The way maps and other data have been stored or filed as layers of information in a GIS makes it possible to perform complex Sources for Geographical Information Systems analyses. For example, GIS can be used to analyze NWI maps, Assistance, Data and Online Viewers: USGS topographic maps, and soil maps to produce a new map layer or overlay that ranks the wetlands according to certain • Local planning/zoning offices – Geographical data lay- criteria. GIS can therefore be a valuable tool to research large ers with local information is often available for purchase amounts of geographical data for large areas. or download • The Virginia Economic Development Partnership GIS requires viewing capabilities as well as digital data in GIS- – Digital data coverage of the 7 1/2 Minute Quadrangles based format. Until recently, this required expensive computer for Virginia as well as many other GIS data layers, for software and related computer skills. Recently however, online free: http://gis.vedp.org/VEDPdatasets.html viewing of GIS-based data has become more available through web-based interactive programs on Federal, state, and private • Chesapeake Bay Program – Variety of Chesapeake websites. To create your own GIS data, however, you will most Bay watershed geographical resources are available for likely need GIS-based still software and computer skills. downloading: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/maps.htm. Interactive Mapping is also available as well as links to An active GIS market has resulted in lower costs and continual other sites with GIS data improvements in GIS hardware, software, and data. These developments will lead to a much wider application of the • Academic Institutions –May be able to offer technical technology throughout government, business, and industry. assistance for your project. Additionally, several have websites with online viewers containing many useful data For more information on GIS, visit the USGS website at: http:// layers and data layers that can be downloaded for free or erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/gis_poster/#what for purchase • Virginia Institutive of Marine Science (VIMS) Comprehensive Coastal Inventory Program Online GIS Databases: • GIS data links available to support programs and activities which research, enhance, or implement policy related to shoreline management in Virginia: http://ccrm.vims.edu/gis/gisdata.html • Wetlands mitigation/restoration targeting tool: GIS and landscape practices to determine sites suitable for wetlands creation and restoration. Tool contains two components: static maps and an interactive query system. Currently, the model has been run for the Hampton Roads Area. VIMS plans to run the model statewide in the future. http://ccrm.vims.edu/cci/wet_target/ • Towson University (TU) Center for Geographical Example of Towson CGIS’ Watershed Mapper for the Rappahannock Informational Sciences (CGIS) – GIS technical Watershed showing roads, water features and citizen-based water quality services, free easy to use viewing software, and inter- monitoring stations. active mapping for analysis and display of geographic information: http://chesapeake.towson.edu/. • Basic Interactive-mapping Viewer: http://chesapeake.towson.edu/mapping/simpleims.asp • Watershed Mapper – Provides watershed associations the ability to disseminate geographic information about their watershed over the Internet. This is accomplished through features such as a list of available data to view, a map window, and a number of basic GIS tools: http:// chesapeake.towson.edu/mapping/watershedmap- per.asp • The GIS Center at Radford University – Several spatial data sources covering Virginia and surrounding states: http://www.radford.edu/~geoserve/main_page.html

Wetlands mitigation/restoration targeting tool for Hampton Roads area.

40 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 Getting Help – Resources for Financial and Other Tools: Technical Assistance Several other tools may be useful when identifying potential “Asking is the beginning of receiving.” ~ Jim Robins sites for voluntary wetland activities, especially once you have narrowed down your search and are considering site You are not alone when it comes to voluntary characteristics such as the presence or absence of threatened wetland activities. Help is out there! and endangered species, cultural resources, or the likelihood of environmental contamination. In fact, unless you are a wetland professional, it is highly • DGIF’s Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service recommended to recruit technical assistance for your project in (VAFWIS) – Online database containing current and com- order for it to most likely be successful. This ToolKit chapter is prehensive information about Virginia’s Wildlife resources, intended to provide basic information in table format at-a-glance as including wildlife species observations, threatened or well as contacts for further more detailed information. Four tables endangered species locations, and cold water (trout) stream are included: Grants and Foundations; Cost Share Programs; surveys. Also available as GIS data layers: Preservation Assistance; and Technical Assistance for Wetland http://vafwis.org/WIS/ASP/default.asp Enhancement, Restoration or Creation. • Virginia Natural Heritage Program’s (NHP’s) Online Grants and Foundations information of Virginia’s Natural Communities, Rare, Threatened and Endangered Animals and Plants The Grants and Foundations table lists environmental grant and – On-line database allows for queries to find information on foundation funding programs. Many of these listings are not specific Virginia’s 1600+ natural heritage resources. Queries can be to Virginia or to voluntary wetland activities; however, all of these run for categories such as species/natural areas, counties, listings have funded such projects in the past. Eligible recipients vary physiographic regions, and others: but generally include nonprofit organizations and often local or state http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dnh/nhrinfo.htm agencies. More information can be obtained by visiting the agency’s website or by contacting them by phone or in person. • Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) – To determine historic, architectural, archaeological, and cultural A special note about matching funds resources that may exist on your site or on sites within the project vicinity. Organized by city and county, this collection Please be aware that some grants require matching funds, often of data is contained in files, reports and maps. For more referred to as match or cost share. Match is the amount of money information, contact DHR’s Archivist at (804) 367-2323 ext. that the applicant organization or partners are prepared to spend 124 or: http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/archives/archiv_info.htm on the project. These contributions can be in the form of cash (cash outlay), in-kind contributions, or donated goods and services. Each • Environmental databases –A number of environmental grantor has different match requirements and different restrictions databases are available for identifying the potential risk of on allowable match. contamination at or in the vicinity of your site. Examples include: Other helpful information about grants: • Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) – database containing • Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed information of releases and transfers of toxic chemicals Protection – online database allows you to perform tailored from facilities in certain industrial sectors, including queries for financial assistance sources (grants, loans, cost- manufacturing, waste handling, mining, and electricity sharing) based on entered information about type of assistance, generation. eligible organization type, match requirements and keywords: • Comprehensive Environmental Response, http://cfpub.epa.gov/fedfund/ Compensation, and Liability Information System • Environmental Foundation Funding – Centralized, web- (CERCLIS) – database containing information on based clearinghouse of foundation funding and resources. For hazardous waste sites, site inspections, preliminary environmental foundation funding: http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/ assessments and remedial status. cat_environment.jhtml;jsessionid=FSF5E2TG0RSOYP5QALRS • Obtaining Environmental Databases – many are GXD5AAAACI2F available online for free. Custom database searches can • Online tools for grant writing: also be provided by a number of commercial businesses for purchase: • Grant Terminology, Grant Research and Writing Tips: http://www.howard.k12.md.us/grants/ • EPA Envirofacts: online access to select EPA envi- Terminology.html ronmental data for free: http://www.epa.gov/enviro/ • Grant-writing tools for non-profit organizations: • The Right-to-Know Network – provides free http://www.npguides.org/ access to numerous environmental databases: http://www.rtknet.org/ • EPA Grant-Writing Tutorial: http://www.epa.gov/ seahome/grants/src/grant.htm • Tax Maps – Available at County/City Tax Assessor’s office

41 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Cost Share and Payment Programs Preservation Assistance

The Cost Share Table lists incentive-based programs geared Land Trust Alliance lists just a few of the many agencies, to landowners, particularly agricultural, for voluntary wetland organizations and programs in Virginia to assist private landowners activities. Funding specifics vary with program and should be with land preservation. To find a Land Trust organization in your closely examined. Typically, the landowner’s portion of the area, visit the Land Trust Alliance’s webpage for a listing of Virginia project cost is required upfront, with reimbursement after project organizations at http://www.lta.org/findlandtrust/VA.htm. completion. Technical Assistance for Voluntary Wetland Scenario of how cost share programs Enhancement, Restoration and Creation Projects typically work: This table lists contact information for technical assistance for Landowners contact technical or financial assistance voluntary wetland activities within Virginia. Although most of these organization. The organization determines if a suitable site exists entities are also listed in the Cost Share and Payment Programs on the property. Consultation with the landowner determines table for specific programs offered by these entities. These likely activities and a survey and project design are completed for organizations are additionally listed within this section to emphasize the landowner to review and approve. The landowner signs the the fact that even if they cannot offer financial assistance under contract, and the necessary permits and clearances are obtained. a particular program, they can still oftentimes provide technical The project is then constructed with partner oversight and the assistance. Many of these entities and programs are closely landowner is reimbursed for project expenses. (Virginia Wetlands networked, meaning that if one entity is unable to assist with your Restoration Coordinating Committee, 2001). project, they can likely place you under the assistance of another.

GRANTS & FOUNDATIONS

ELIGIBILITY NAME CONTACT ORGANIZATION GOALS WEB ADDRESS REQUIREMENTS

State and local governments, nonprofit organization and academic institutions. Grants will not Environmental education, be awarded to individuals. Chesapeake Bay Virginia Division of http://dls.state.va.us/ restoration and conservation Preferences will be given Restoration Fund (CBRF) Legislative Services cbrfac.htm of the Chesapeake Bay to environmental education and action-oriented conservation and restoration projects within Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed

Non-profit organizations To protect and improve or local governments watersheds in the within Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay Small National Fish and Wildlife http://www.nfwf.org/ Chesapeake Bay while watershed. Individuals, state Watershed Grants Program Foundation (NFWF) programs/chesapeake building citizen-based and Federal government resource stewardship agencies, and private for- profit firms are not eligible

Institutes of higher education, hospitals, http://www.nmfs.noaa. National Oceanographic Grass-roots habitat nonprofit organizations, Community-Based gov/habitat/restoration/ and Atmospheric restoration benefiting living commercial and Restoration Program (CRP) projects_programs/crp/ Administration (NOAA) marine resources international organizations, state/local/tribal index.html governments

On-the-ground habitat Public and private http://www.fishamerica. Fish America Foundation Fish America Foundation restoration benefiting fishery organizations, local/state/ org/faf/ resources tribal governments

42 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 GRANTS & FOUNDATIONS

ELIGIBILITY NAME CONTACT ORGANIZATION GOALS WEB ADDRESS REQUIREMENTS

Community-based wetland, riparian, and coastal Five-Star Restoration habitat restoration that http://www.nfwf.org/ EPA and NFWF Any public or private entity Challenge Grants builds diverse partnerships programs/5star-rfp.cfm and fosters local natural resource stewardship

Conservation of bird Private individuals, Migratory Bird Conservancy habitats including http://www.conserve NFWF organizations, government (MBC) Grant Program acquisition, restoration, and birds.org/ entities management

Actions promoting fish and wildlife conservation and Federal, state, and local National Fish and Wildlife habitat conservation while governments, educational http://www.nfwf.org/ Foundation – General NFWF involving and working with institutions, and nonprofit guidelines.cfm Matching Grant Program other conservation and organizations community interests

Projects must strengthen North American the capacity of citizens North American Fund for Non-profit, non- Commission for and communities to Environmental Cooperation governmental organizations http://www.cec.org/ Environmental Cooperation monitor aspects of their Grants in North America (NAFEC) Environments that affect their own health.

Wetlands conservation projects that promote Public or private, profit long-term conservation of or nonprofit entities or North American Wetlands http://www.fws.gov/ US Fish and Wildlife Service North American wetland individuals establishing Conservation Act (NAWCA) birdhabitat/NAWCA/ (FWS) ecosystems that provide public-private sector Grants habitat for waterfowl and partnerships, in US, act.htm other migratory birds, fish Canada, Mexico and wildlife

Private (non government) landowners and their partners – includes private landowners, individually or as a group To benefit federally listed, as well as individuals proposed, or candidate http://www.fws. or groups (for example Private Stewardship Grants species, or other at-risk gov/endangered/ FWS land conservancies, Program species by providing GRANTS/PRIVATE_ community organizations, or grants and assistance to conservation organizations) STEWARDSHIP/ individuals and groups. working with private landowners on conservation efforts are eligible to apply. State agencies are not eligible to apply

43 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities GRANTS & FOUNDATIONS

ELIGIBILITY NAME CONTACT ORGANIZATION GOALS WEB ADDRESS REQUIREMENTS

To support worthwhile aquatic conservation projects such as: public education; grass roots conservation and enhancement projects; http://www.projectaware. Individuals, organizations, Project AWARE Grants Project AWARE Foundation research leading to org/americas/english/ government entities conservation; public grants.asp awareness initiatives; environmental assessment and monitoring projects; and volunteer-supported community activism

To encourage projects that promote tree planting, the State, local and regional care of trees, the protection governments, nonprofit and enhancement of urban organizations, neighborhood Urban and Community http://www.dof.virginia. USDA-FS / VDOF and community forest associations and civic Forestry Assistance Grants gov/info/grants.shtm ecosystems, and education groups, public educational on tree issues in cities, institutions (college level) or towns and communities Community Tree Volunteers across the nation

Virginia Program: nonprofit, tax-exempt, charitable organizations To improve the quality of and institutions and the environment by using governmental agencies Virginia Environmental its capital to encourage all Endowment (VEE) sectors to work together to Mini-Grant Program: Public VEE http://www.vee.org – Virginia Program and prevent pollution, conserve and private schools (K-12) Mini-Grant Program natural resources, and and nongovernmental, promote environmental nonprofit community literacy organizations local, state, and Federal government agencies and programs are not eligible

Main funding priorities: (1) Developing a comprehensive wetland States, Tribes, local monitoring and assessment governments, interstate program; (2) improving Wetland Program associations, intertribal http://www.epa.gov/owow/ EPA the effectiveness of Development Grant consortia, and national wetlands/grantguidelines/ compensatory wetland nonprofit, non-governmental mitigation; and (3) refining organizations the protection of vulnerable wetlands and aquatic resources

44 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 COST SHARE PROGRAMS

CONTACT ELIGIBILITY NAME GOALS WEB ADDRESS ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS

To encourage farmers and ranchers to remove lands from agricultural US Department of production in order to Private agricultural Agriculture – Farm Service improve water quality and landowners in Virginia’s Conservation Enhancement http://www.dcr.virginia. Agency/ Natural Resources to treat environmentally Chesapeake Bay watershed Program (CREP) – Virginia gov/sw/crep.htm Conservation Service sensitive areas through the and eligible portions of (USDA-FSA/ NRCS) establishment of forested Southern Rivers watersheds streamside buffers, filter strips and the restoration of wetlands

Private agricultural Water quality and habitat landowners; Privately http://www.fsa.usda.gov/ Conservation Reserve enhancement and USDA-FSA/ NRCS owned, highly erodible pas/publications/facts/html/ Program (CRP) – Virginia Conversion of highly cropland or environmentally erodible land (HEL) nonfloodwet04.htm sensitive acreage

Virginia Department Cost-Share and Tax Credit of Conservation and To assist with the installation Farmers in designated for Virginia Agricultural Best Recreation (DCR) and of conservation practices www.dcr.virginia.gov/sw/ priority watersheds within Management Practices Virginia Soil and Water that protect water and make costshar.htm Virginia (BMPs) Conservation Districts farms more productive (SWCD)

To provide funding and Private landowners Ducks Unlimited (DU) technical assistance for within Virginia’s James, Chesapeake Bay Wetland DU wetland restoration projects Rappahannock and http://www.ducks.org/ Restoration Program within the Chesapeake Bay Potomac (including watershed Shenandoah) watersheds

Non-industrial private forest To keep private forestlands owners, group associations, Forest Land Enhancement USDA-Forestry Service (FS) and natural resources corporations, Indian tribes, http://www.dof.virginia.gov/ Program (FLEP) productive and healthy or other legal, private entities

45 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities COST SHARE PROGRAMS

CONTACT ELIGIBILITY NAME GOALS WEB ADDRESS ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Private (non-Federal) and To promote voluntary corporate landowners. Cost restoration of wetlands and Share is currently available Partners for Fish and http://www.fws.gov/ FWS streamside habitats through for only specific areas of VA Wildlife – Virginia partners/index.htm offering of technical and and changes with internal financial assistance funding levels. Contact FWS for more information.

To provide assistance Virginia Department of Virginia Department of to undertake wetland Game and Inland Fisheries Private and public http://www.dgif.virginia. Game and Inland Fisheries restoration or habitat Technical Landowner landowners gov/index.asp (DGIF) improvement and Assistance Program management projects

Provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners to restore, enhance and protect wetlands. The goal is to restore degraded Wetland Reserve Program wetlands to “natural” Private agricultural land http://www.nrcs.usda. USDA - NRCS (WRP) conditions. In eastern VA, (including Tribal) gov/programs/wrp focus is on groundwater dependent hardwood forested wetlands. In mountain region, focus is on spring seep and herbaceous/shrub wetlands

To encourage the creation or restoration of high quality fish and wildlife habitats primarily on private land. Private landowners Wildlife Habitat Incentive Allows for the development (including Tribal); State http://www.nrcs.usda. USDA-NRCS Program (WHIP) and protection of upland, and local government on a gov/programs/whip/ wetland, riparian, and limited basis aquatic habitat areas. Offering of technical and financial assistance

46 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

CONTACT ELIGIBILITY NAME GOALS WEB ADDRESS ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Provides assistance to landowners to undertake Private landowners in Piedmont Environmental land conservation measures Land Conservation Program certain counties of the www.pecva.org Council (PEC) and to encourage the Piedmont Region in Virginia placement of conservation easements

Provides resources to promote voluntary land conservation and strengthen the land trust movement by National organization- providing the leadership, provides technical Land Trust Alliance Land Trust Alliance (LTA) www.lta.org information, skills and assistance through resources land trusts need resources to conserve land for the benefit of communities and natural systems

Provides assistance http://www.landtrustva. Land Trust of Virginia Land Trust of Virginia to landowners with Statewide conservation easements org/

Virginia Department http://www.dcr.virginia. Office of Land Conservation of Conservation and State agency Recreation gov/olc/

Preserve farmland, Open Space Lands Virginia Outdoors forestland, and natural http://www.virginiaoutdoors Individual landowners in VA Preservation Trust Fund Foundation (VOF) and recreational areas by foundation.org/ restricting intensive uses

Private landowners in Orange County Piedmont Environmental Protect lands threatened by certain parts of Orange www.pecva.org Conservation Fund Council (PEC) sprawl development County

47 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR WETLAND ENHANCEMENT, RESTORATION OR CREATION

CONTACT ELIGIBILITY NAME CONTACT ORGANIZATION WEB ADDRESS ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Libby Norris Virginia Watershed Restoration Specialist Virginia State Office Private or public Chesapeake Bay 1108 East Main Street, landowners within Virginia’s http://www.cbf.org Foundation (CBF) Suite 1600 Chesapeake Bay watershed Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 780-1392 [email protected]

Austin Jamison Old Three Notch Road Private or public Chesapeake Wildlife Charlottesville, VA 22901 landowners within Virginia’s http://www.cheswildlife.org Heritage (CWH) (804) 825-7587 Chesapeake Bay watershed [email protected]

Grace Bottitta Great Lakes Atlantic Region Private landowners Mid Atlantic Field Office within Virginia’s James, 34 Defense Street, Chesapeake Care Program Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Rappahannock and www.ducks.org Suite 200 Potomac (including Annapolis, MD 21401 Shenandoah) watersheds (410) 224-6620 [email protected]

Private (non-Federal) landowners. Technical assistance is currently available for wetlands in Rappahannock, Roanoke, 6669 Short Lane and Back Bay Watersheds, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Gloucester, VA 23061 and on the Eastern Shore http://www.fws.gov/ Partners for Wildlife Service (FWS) Partners for (804) 693-6694 of Virginia. Technical partners/index.htm Fish and Wildlife David Byrd – ext 133, or assistance is currently Willard Smith – ext 124 available for streams in the Rappahannock, Shenandoah Valley, and Upper Tennessee Watersheds, and on the Eastern Shore of Virginia

David Norris Private and public Williamsburg landowners. Will provide Virginia Department of Regional Office Private Landowner technical assistance, http://www.dgif.virginia. Game and Inland Fisheries 5806 Moore Town Road Technical Assistance including project design, gov/index.asp (DGIF) Williamsburg, VA 23188 even if landowner does not (757) 253-7072 enroll in program with DGIF [email protected]

48 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR WETLAND ENHANCEMENT, RESTORATION OR CREATION

CONTACT ELIGIBILITY NAME CONTACT ORGANIZATION WEB ADDRESS ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Wink Hastings Chesapeake Bay Program Field Office (410) 267-5747 Community groups, State and local governments Rivers, Trails and Hastings.Wink@epamail. working to conserve rivers, Conservation Assistance National Park System (NPS) http://www.nps.gov/rtca/ epa.gov, or preserve open space, Program and develop trails and Ursula Lemanski greenways Potomac Field Office (304) 535-4018 [email protected]

John Meyers Provides technical WRP Program Manager assistance for private and 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Wetland Reserve Program Natural Resources public landowners who http://www.nrcs.usda. Suite 209 and cost share programs Conservation Service want to undertake riparian, Richmond, VA 23229-5014 gov/programs/wrp wetland or grassland [email protected] activities 804-287-1668

Wetland Permitting and Delineations – Information for Voluntary Wetland Activities

“Better to ask for permission first than to ask for forgiveness later“ ~unknown Introduction to Permitting

Why do I need a permit? Even though your voluntary wetland activity – be it preservation, enhancement restoration, or creation – is for the purpose of benefiting the environment, it is quite possible that your activity may have some impacts that will require a permit from government agencies. Many projects may require permits for activities associated with the project, such as disturbance of the land surface, crossing existing waterways, and melding with the existing habitat and land uses in the project area.

Examples of activities requiring permits include: Priest • Dredging (removing or relocating sediment from surface waters) Land Disturbance as part of excavation for tidal wetland restoration project • Filling (adding material to the bottom of surface waters) • Discharging any pollutant into or adjacent to surface waters • Altering physical, chemical or biological properties of Begin Researching Permit Requirements Early! surface waters As you plan a wetland project, an important step is to research • Activities causing significant damage to existing wetland and evaluate the types of permits you might need from local, acreage state, and Federal agencies. This step should be conducted early in the planning process, as each agency has different • Land disturbance requirements and time frames for issuing permits. • Vegetation disturbance in the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area

49 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Two of the main resources to consider when planning a restoration project are the project’s impacts to water and soil. Impacts to water bodies, such as streams, wetlands, ponds, and lakes, may require permits from more than one local, state, or Federal agency. Impacts to the ground surface and soils, also referred to as land disturbance, may require permits from local and state agencies. The below sections discuss permits for these two types of impacts.

Partners may Provide Technical Assistance for Permitting Process If a partnering organization, such as the CBF, DU, NRCS, DGIF or FWS, is taking the lead with your project, they most likely will take care of obtaining any necessary permits. It’s always a good idea to confirm this is being taken care of by them and to find out the Diagram showing jurisdictional boundaries within Virginia for uplands, nontidal and tidal wetlands, expiration dates of any permits and subaqueous lands. Source: Tidewater Joint Permit Application (JPA), available online at: that are required as well as steps http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/regulatory/webTidewaterJPA2004.pdf to renew permits for the future. VMRC assigns a permit number and distributes the JPA to local Water Impacts – Typical Permits needed: wetlands boards, DEQ, and the Corps, which decide separately Joint Permit Process whether they need to issue a permit for the project. Each agency responds separately to the applicant (Association of State The permit process for impacting tidal wetlands, nontidal Wetland Mangers, 2005). wetlands and other water bodies including subaqueous lands begins with a Joint Permit Application (JPA). The JPA process Several state resource agencies additionally provide specific was established to minimize duplication of permitting and to information to the regulatory agencies on natural resources that improve coordination and tracking of permits among the various may be impacted by the proposed project. Among these agencies state and Federal agencies. A JPA is submitted to the VMRC. are DGIF, DCR, CBLAD, Department of Health (VDH), and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS). Input is sought from these agencies through the each agency’s internal permitting process. Permitting activities are also coordinated with these agencies during preliminary site visits (DEQ, August 2005).

Nation Wide Permit (NWP) 27 NWP 27 is the most likely permit required for voluntary wetland projects Typically issued by the Corps for enhancement, restoration and creation activities associated with streams and wetlands. NWP 27 is conditionally certified by the DEQ, meaning that if certain conditions are met by the applicant/permittee, then a separate permit is not required from DEQ. However, local permit requirements may still apply. A JPA is required to apply for coverage under the Corps’ NWP 27. More information concerning NWPs, DEQ permits, and the permit process in general for wetlands and other waters is included in the following information. © Digital Vision

50 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 Tidal Surface Waters and Wetlands, Subaqueous Lands and Coastal Primary Sand Dunes

• VMRC, Division of Habitat Management – has main regulatory authority. VMRC is the regulatory agency for impacts to subaqueous or bottom lands, tidal wetlands, and coastal primary sand dunes. More information about VMRC permit requirements can be found at http://www.mrc.state.va.us/regulations/hm-permits.shtm

• Local Wetlands Boards (LWB) – LWBs are the main entity in the Tidewater region responsible for reviewing impacts to tidal wetlands, both vegetated and unvegetated. VMRC reviews decisions made by LWBs. In area within Tidewater where no LWB exists, VMRC is the main regulatory authority. Contact the planning and zoning office in the area of your project to find out if such a board has jurisdiction, or visit http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/Regulatory/wetlandsboard.htm for more information

• Corps Nationwide or Regional Permits – may also be required for impacts to subaqueous or bottom lands, tidal wetlands, and coastal primary sand dunes. More information about permits issued by the Corps – Norfolk District Office can be found at http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/

• DEQ’s Virginia Water Protection Permit (VWP) Program – VWP permits required for tidal wetland projects only if 401 Certification is required. When a Corps nationwide or regional permit is issued in addition to a permit issued by VMRC, it is automatically conditionally certified by DEQ, meaning that if certain conditions are met by the applicant/permittee, a separate permit is not required from DEQ. If the conditions cannot be met, a separate permit may be required from DEQ.

TIDEWATER JPA – Tidewater JPA is an abbreviated version of the JPA for certain activities within the tidewater region. Activities eligible for a Tidewater JPA include:

• Access-related activities: piers, boathouses, boat ramps (without associated dredging or excavation), moorings, marinas, aquaculture facilities, etc.

• Shoreline stabilization projects: riprap revetments, marsh toe stabilization, bulkheads, breakwaters, beach nourish- ment, groins, jetties, etc.

• Crossings over/ under tidal waters and wetlands: bridges and utility lines (water, sewer, electric, etc.)

Nontidal surface waters and wetlands

If your project is nontidal, depending on the nature and size of the impacts, DEQ, the Corps, or both agencies will issue a permit. Impacts to nontidal subaqueous lands (i.e., impacts to stream bottoms) are still regulated by the VMRC. Depending on the details of the projects, most projects will qualify for either a Nationwide or Regional Permit from the Corps, and/or a General Permit from DEQ. When a proposed activity does not qualify for any of these more general permits, an individual permit from one or both agencies may be required.

• DEQ VWP – General Permits – Projects with less than 2 acres of surface water impacts will likely qualify for one or more of the four existing VWP General Permits. For more information on the types of VWP general permits, please visit http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wetlands/permitfees.html

• Corps Nationwide or Regional Permit – May be required for projects having minimal surface water impacts. DEQ has conditionally certified most NWPs and regional permits, meaning that if certain conditions are met by the applicant/permittee, a separate permit is not required from DEQ. If the conditions cannot be met, a separate permit may be required from DEQ. For more information on the types of Corps’ Nationwide and Regional permits: http://www.nao.usace.army. mil/Regulatory/Regulatory.html

51 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Compensatory Mitigation

If impacts to wetlands are unavoidable as a result of your voluntary creation, enhancement or restoration project, keep in mind that compensatory mitigation may be required for impacts to wetlands and surface waters. Compensatory mitigation may be as simple as restoring a stream crossing that was temporarily disturbed during the construction process area, or as complicated and costly as replacing a wetland impacted by your project.

Soil Impacts – Typical Permits needed:

In addition to water impacts, voluntary wetland projects may result in land disturbance and may require the following permits from local and state agencies.

• Virginia Stormwater Management Program –DCR is responsible for the issuance of Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permits, which apply to the control of stormwater discharges from land disturbing activities under the Virginia Stormwater Management Program. Projects requiring permits include land disturbance activities impacting an area of 1 acre or more in nontidal locations, or between 2,500 square feet and 1 acre in locations designated as Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas. More information can be found at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/sw/stormwat.htm • Erosion and Sediment Control Programs – Any time land is disturbed above a certain area (square footage or acreage), permits are generally required from the local government to ensure that controls are in place to minimize sedimentation and erosion. Voluntary Wetland projects are not typically exempt from these programs. For more information about local requirements, contact the planning and zoning office for the area in which the project will occur. © Jupiterimages

Don’t forget about the Bay Act in Tidewater Region

Projects involving land disturbance or removal of vegetation that are located in Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas (Tidewater, VA) will require approval from local governments. For some localities, the LWB is the same entity that regulates the Bay Act, but don’t assume this without checking with your local government.

52 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 A Note about Wetland Delineations Step 1 – Confirming your site is a wetland • For any type of on-the-ground project, permits required for water impacts additionally require a Corps-approved Section One (What Makes it a Wetland?) discusses simple wetland delineation ways to tell if your site is most likely a wetland. If you are pretty sure you have a wetland, it is still a good idea to Who can perform wetland delineation and have it confirmed by someone experienced in wetland how does the Corps approve it? identification. Section four (Getting More Help) lists several places to go for technical assistance, including the Corps, The Norfolk District Corps office maintains a list of individuals NRCS, and the DGIF, to name a few. If someone from one and companies that offer professional delineation services. of these agencies is unable to visit your site (especially if This list may be accessed by going to: http://www.nao.usace. you are under a tight timeline), they can point you in the right army.mil/Regulatory/Agents/Wetland-Consultants.pdf direction for further assistance. • As a word of caution, the consultant you select should Step 2 – Have wetland delineation performed be familiar with and utilize the current 1987 Corps Wetlands Delineation Manual and subsequent guid- The process of determining the boundaries of a wetland ance, to perform wetlands delineations area is termed a (Kellselheim & wetland delineation • You may also want to ask the consultant if he or she is Slattery, 1995). Wetland delineations are used to determine certified through the Virginia Board for Professional Soil “jurisdictional” wetlands based on the regulatory definition of Scientists and Wetland Professionals. This is a volun- a wetland used by the Corps, EPA and the DEQ (discussed tary certification program and is not presently required in Section One, What is a wetland?). to perform wetland delineations in Virginia Why is wetland delineation useful? The consultant’s findings should then be provided to the Corps in the form of a report. Once delineation has been • Knowing the boundaries of your wetland area is useful, performed, Corps staff will review the validity of the report for simply the ease in studying and observing it and make a determination on the presence and extent of • If you want to put your wetland into some type of con- wetlands and other waters of the United States on servation easement or other protection, identifying your the property. wetland boundary will be critical for legal purposes

Resources and Assistance to Learn More about Permitting:

DEQ regional offices – A map including the counties included in region: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/regions/homepage.html

Corps – The Norfolk District may be contacted at (757) 201-7652. To contact a local office: http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/map.htm

VMRC – A Map showing Habitat Division Territory Assignments: http://www.mrc.state.va.us/territory_assignments.shtm

A Guide to the Virginia Water Protection Permit Process, DEQ, June 2003: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wetlands/pdf/ guidevwpprocess.pdf. Note: this document should be used only as a general guideline, as the DEQ wetland/streams regulatory program has changed since the document’s publication date.

Information pertaining to the VWP Program can be found at: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wetlands/

A copy of the JPA can be found at: http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/Regulatory/JPA.html

In summary, remember to plan ahead! Include time in your project schedule to research permit needs, and include space in your budget for permit fees and compensatory mitigation, if required. Contact local, state, and Federal government agencies for direction on permit and compensation requirements for your project. Research agency web pages for further information. And, if your project design changes over the course of planning or construction, take time to re-evaluate the need for permits, additional permits, or modifications to the permits you already have.

53 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Case Studies

Every day is Earth Day.” ~Author Unknown

This chapter highlights voluntary wetland projects that have been funded through some of the financial resources or that have received technical assistance highlighted in the Getting Help chapter of this section. These projects vary in their size, scope and partnerships to provide some varied “blueprints” of how other efforts to preserve, enhance and restore wetlands in Virginia have evolved. Environmental Law Institute: National Wetland Awards

The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) located in Washington D.C. has advanced dialogue on wetland law, science and policy since 1978. Annually, in partnership with the EPA, National Marine Fisheries Service, NRCS, FWS and the USDA Forest Service, they recognize individuals who have demonstrated innovation, effort, and excellence in wetland conservation, research and education through the National Wetlands Awards. Each year, ELI produces a summary of the National Wetlands Award winners including a brief bio and a description of the work they were nominated for. This is a great resource to glean inspiring ideas and to locate innovative people and projects in your area. To find out more about the National Wetlands Awards, visit the ELI web site atwww.eli.or g.

Bandy Field: The Little Engine That Could and many additional members and volunteers began their preservation efforts. Dedicated to the preservation and Bandy Field Nature Park – This once threatened 18-acre maintenance of Bandy Field, FOBF petitioned city officials green space, nestled within a suburban neighborhood in and eventually succeeded in having the property designated Richmond, is a grass roots success story. This is a story of as a public park. FOBF, working with an advisory board, citizens coming together and marching forward towards a started a trust to fund continue park maintenance. common vision to saving an urban oasis from encroaching development and transforming it into a nature park for the In 2003, a project was undertaken in the park to enhance pleasure and environmental education of all. a mowed drainage swale in order to create a wetland. The objective was three fold: 1): improve water quality of Little A group of local residents long recognized the conservation Westham Creek, a tributary of the James River, 2): create value of this open field and wanted to protect the wildlife habitat for amphibians, birds and other area from ensuing development. In 1998, area invertebrates, and 3): create an educational residents began lobbying Richmond City tool for the community. Under the guidance of Council to prevent the City from selling the environmental planner and FOBF volunteer area or developing the site. The slogan Robert Wright, a project was developed “Save Bandy Field” was spread throughout to regrade the swale area, excavated the neighborhood and Friends of Bandy a small vegetated catchment basin, Field (FOBF) was born. FOBF, led by and plant both areas with native plants Dr. Charles Price, a 9-member board, to naturally filter surface runoff from a

Bandy Field before restoration Bandy Field 5 months after restoration

54 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 portion of the field, woods, and adjacent parking area. The 800 sq feet habitat was designed to featuring four primary components: 1): an interior marsh like habitat established with emergent herbaceous plants, 2): a perimeter of shrub plants, 3): a reserved un-manicured planting area for future use as a wildflower meadow, and 4): a denser planting of shrubs toward the interior marsh.

FOBF partnered with the Alliance to coordinate a hands-on, volunteer day to plant the wetland habitat and to educate, empower, train and engage volunteers. City of Richmond staff performed the site excavation a few days prior to the volunteer day. Volunteers included FOBF members, area residents, Tuckahoe Garden Club, Boxwood Garden Club, Virginia Native Plant Society, local Boy Scouts, Sierra Club volunteers, and high school science club members. The project was funded through funds raised by FOCB and through the Alliance’s RestoreCorps program, through a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund.

Other projects include the continued removal of invasive plants within other areas of the park and the replacement with native plants. Other planned projects include developing Bandy Field Action Day a butterfly habitat and creating woodland paths complete with native plant interpretive signage

Future environmental education plans for Bandy Field Nature Park include continuing to provide environmental education opportunities to local students and the larger community regarding wetlands and natural habitats. Plans include the installation of interpretive signage and maps to allow self guided tours, the development of educational printed materials, and offering the site for field trips for teachers and students. Volunteers will be trained to develop and conduct environmental programs for all ages. FOBF will partner with the City of Richmond’s After School Program and the Henricopolis Soil and Water Conservation District.

In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of dedicated people can change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Undoubtedly, FOBF has heard her cry for grass roots action and dedicated citizenship to enact environmental preservation and Bandy Field Nature Park is their living tapestry for all to enjoy. Bandy Field volunteers For more information about Bandy Field Nature Park: www.bandyfield.com (available in Fall 2006) or call Dr. Charles Price at (804) 358-0256

55 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Wetlands Estonoa Learning Center Project: During the past five years, Team Estonoa has developed Lasting Education for A Community various partnerships, pursued grant opportunities, and performed many hours of public outreach and maintenance. Team Estonoa – The town of St. Paul is located within the To date, the team has removed multiple truckloads of trash sparsely populated (population 1,000) County of Wise, in the from the wetland, constructed an environmentally friendly southwest corner of the state. The community is nestled within walking path, footbridges, picnic tables, benches and a the Clinch River valley, relying on the Clinch as its primary floating dock. The team has conducted wetlands workshops drinking water source. The karst geology of the valley means for area teachers, students and college groups. Over 100 that it is particularly susceptible to ground-water contamination groups have received presentations or have been hosted in from overlying surface water area, making area wetlands some way by Team Estonoa. critical for filtering and ground-water recharge functions. Through the efforts of Team Estonoa, a beautiful learning In the spring of 1999, students enrolled in an ecology class center has recently been constructed adjacent to the from Saint Paul High School were assigned various projects. wetland. Team Estonoa has already hosted over twenty One student, Stevie Sabo, chose to do his project on a local, groups in the newly completed center for environmental neglected waterbody known as Lake Estonoa. His project workshops and watershed meetings. The grounds covered the lake’s history, present condition, and his desire around the center have been landscaped with native to see the lake restored. Another student, Nikki Buffalow, Appalachian flora, interpretive signs, and an observation became interested in the project the following school year, and area with seating. A rain garden has been installed to through her research, discovered the “lake” should actually control stormwater runoff and to serve as a teaching tool, be classified instead as a wetland. With the hope of better illustrating its value as a low impact method of storm water preserving “Lake” Estonoa, she began a quest to have it management. officially classified as a wetland. After successfully achieving this endeavor, interest began to grow within the school and The Team Estonoa project demonstrates how students and surrounding community to restore the wetland. community members can be actively engaged to conserve and protect important resources like the Estonoa Wetlands. Students from St. Paul’s Appalachian Ecology and Physics All it takes is that initial spark of enthusiasm and dedication classes led the restoration effort.. The students became known to conserve our natural resources for generations to come as “Team Estonoa” with a mission to protect and conserve — the stewardship and community involvement that results the “Wetland Estonoa” in order to create a lasting educational is infectious! venue for the community. Semester after semester with excitement and curiosity, the team continues to work on To learn more about Wetlands Estonoa : www.estonoa.org. the Wetlands Estonoa Learning Center Project. Seeing the To schedule a visit to Wetlands Estonoa contact Terry students’ enthusiasm and dedication over the years, the Town Vencil at (276) 762 0221. of St. Paul has become an active partner in continuing to preserve and protect the wetlands.

The dock at Planning meeting Wetlands Estonoa

Arial photo of Wetlands Estonoa Wetlands Estonoa up close

56 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 The Oscar’s Landing Wetland Project: order to restore the tidal connection as well as to eradicate the An Urban Oasis Phragmites. VIMS was brought in to lead the project design. Excavation and grading of Oscar’s Landing, performed by Whit Oscar’s Landing – Through the efforts of many partners, a Williams Inc., began in April 2002 and was completed in July neglected and degraded piece of land has been resorted into a 2002. functioning tidal wetland within the heart of an urban area. The Oscar’s Landing Wetland was restored to enhance Jones Creek, Following the excavation, ERP coordinated a volunteer event a tributary of the Elizabeth River and the Southgate area of to plant native tidal wetland vegetation. Volunteers included Chesapeake. the Women’s Club of South Norfolk, local scouts, and many neighborhood citizens. The students of Oscar Smith Middle Since World War II, the Elizabeth River watershed has lost School have been ongoing stewards of this wetland restoration 50% of its crucial tidal wetlands. Oscar’s Landing is part of project. The children participated in a contest to name the “reversing the loss” and will naturally treat stormwater runoff wetland. In addition, students researched information on native from 250 acres of neighboring property. Additionally, the wetland plants and animals found in the wetland habitats displayed improves the aesthetics of the neighborhood by providing a more on educational markers places on the observation platform natural habitat for native plants and animals, attracting migrating overlooking the site. shorebirds, butterflies, and other aquatic species. Funding for the donated portion of the wetland project was The Oscar’s Landing Wetland project is a combined effort of provided through a grant from the Virginia Department of the Elizabeth River Project (ERP) and the City of Chesapeake. Conservation and Recreation. The FWS and American The four-acre site has two sections: a conservation easement Management Systems provided additional funding. Whit donated by Mr. Si-Jun Lee of Southgate Plaza Corporation Williams Inc. provided assistance with construction costs. VIMS, to the ERP, and a wetland creation site owned by the City of Landmark Design Group, Old Dominion University, East Coast Chesapeake. Placing this land under a “conservation easement” Hydrographic, Emerald Forest Consulting, Naturescapes Inc., as legally protects Oscar’s Landing from future development and well as the Chesapeake Department of Public Works provided preserves this important natural resource. The property, once additional surveying and design support. a borrow pit and landfill, was most recently the site of a go- kart track. Since the closure of the track, the site was littered The Oscar’s Landing Wetland Project will continue to serve as a with trash and other debris and had become infested with the lasting educational and environmental benefit to the community invasive plant, Phragmites (Reed grass). of South Norfolk and provides a beautiful oasis in the midst of the urban fabric. Many partners, including the ERP, the City of Chesapeake, Southgate Plaza Corporation, Oscar Smith Middle School, and For more information about Oscar’s Landing Wetland the community of South Norfolk worked together to restore the Project contact the Elizabeth River Project at (757) 399- 7487 “donated” portion of the site into a functioning tidal wetland. or www.elizabethriver.org Restoration of the site required excavation of sediment in

Oscars Landing Oscars Landing after after planting Spring 2003

Restoration plan for Oscars Landing Walter Priest ERP and donor

57 4 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Prior to any restoration work, the existing agricultural fields U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Restoring were planted in clover, to serve as a cover crop throughout the Agricultural Wetlands year. CBF worked with the current farmer to plant the clover and serve as a consultant on the project. His knowledge of The Laurel Grove Tract Project – The Laurel Grove Tract is the property and its history served a critical role in the project. a 465-acre parcel located in Richmond County, in the Northern To restore wetland hydrology, over 1500-feet of agricultural Neck region of Virginia. The project site is located along drainage tile was broken and ditches were plugged to restore the banks of Farnham Creek and within one-half mile of the approximately 50-acres of wetlands. The open fields were Rappahannock River and is part of the FWS’s Eastern Virginia reforested using a mix of sixteen different native hardwood Rivers National Wildlife Refuge. The site consisted of 250- tree species. Volunteers planted the final acre of trees during a acres of mature, hardwood forest, 205-acres of open cropland, Public Field Day event in 2004, celebrating the project and its and an 11-acre, freshwater lake. The tract was purchased, partnerships. restored and protected through the “Chesapeake Conservation Challenge,” a unique partnership comprised of private Since the completion of the Chesapeake Conservation business, Federal government, and nonprofit organizations. Challenge project at Laurel Grove, the FWS and CBF have The partners included CBF, the Conservation Fund (TCF), a partnered on another innovative habitat tool. The “Acorns non-profit conservation organization based in DC, Bass Pro to Acres” project retrofitted a no-till planter to plant acorns, Shops, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and the instead of corn. In 2005, with funding from NFWF, the pilot FWS. TCF negotiated with the landowner and purchased the project planted four species of acorns across a 10-acre field property. When the farm became available, each of the five located in the center of the Laurel Grove Tract. The resulting conservation partners, each assumed a role in the project that seedlings will be monitored for the next several years, and spanned from 2001 until 2004. their growth and survivability will be compared with the tree seedlings planted as part of the Chesapeake Conservation CBF, with major funding from The Bass Pro Shops and NFWF Challenge project. This new conservation tool may offer led the wetland restoration efforts. CBF worked closely with landowners and agencies new options for planting hardwood the FWS to provide the habitat and water quality benefits the trees in riparian buffers or reforestation projects. refuge desired. After several options were discussed and evaluated, it was decided that restoring both the wetlands and For more information about the Laurel Grove Tract reforesting the open fields would provide important habitat for Project, contact Libby Norris with the Chesapeake Bay interior forest birds. Foundation at [email protected] or 804.780.1392

Standing water and emergent wetland at Laurel Grove

Kids planting trees as part of CBF’s Public Field Day

58 Taking Action! Voluntary Wetland Activities 4 5 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring Introduction to Monitoring Wetlands Importance of Wetland Monitoring

The purpose of this chapter is not to recommend a particular purpose or type of monitoring, but rather to discuss reasons for monitoring, things to consider, and to introduce various types of monitoring and related resources in which to obtain further information. Think of this chapter as serving as a “launching pad” to help get you started with wetlands monitoring, saving you valuable time and energy!

“People who monitor wetlands become more intimately knowledgeable about the place in which they live and the ecological processes that influence it” (EPA, 2001, December). Wetland monitoring builds and fosters stewardship among those that participate, by creating more informed and knowledgeable citizens, who can then become stewards and advocates for not only wetlands, but for more sustainable approaches to land and water management overall (EPA, 2001, December).

Government funds alone cannot support all the monitoring needed to assess the quality and quantity of our natural resources. Volunteer monitors across the nation have helped fill this void in part by generating extremely useful data that has been used by state, Federal and local agencies to meet reporting requirements, make management decisions and assess various impacts. For example, chemical and biological water quality data collected by volunteers is used by the Top to Bottom: Alliance volunteer measuring pH from DEQ for their biannual water quality assessment report, contributing stream sample; Volunteer measuring salinity within to the assessment of the status and trends of surface waters within estuary; Bottom photos: Virginia Save Our Streams the Commonwealth. (For more information about the Water Quality Volunteers at Macroinvertebrate Training (top photo by Assessment Reports, visit the DEQ’s Water Quality Assessment web Dovis; others courtesy Alliance) page at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wqa/). In addition to assessing existing natural resources, monitoring is essential towards measuring progress towards the intended ecological goals of wetland enhancement, restoration or creation. The Interagency Workgroup on Wetland Restoration commented on the great need for post activity monitoring: “A common misconception about wetland restoration, creation, and enhancement is that once a project is implemented, nature will just do the rest. In reality, many wetland projects need mid-course corrective actions such as re-planting seedlings that were washed away by a storm, digging more channels to get water to remote parts of the site, or plugging ditches missed during the initial site survey. Monitoring provides the information for this adaptive management. Monitoring can also give information on routine maintenance that may be necessary to keep the site functioning well. Broken sprinkler heads, non-native weed growth, and holes in fences are just a few of the routine maintenance items that are easily observed during monitoring” (EPA, n.d.).

59 Why Monitor Wetlands? for streams and rivers, contains basic helpful information for planning a volunteer monitoring program that can easily be applied to a There can be many reasons for monitoring wetlands. Some of the wetlands monitoring program. Appendix 10 of the manual contains most common include: worksheets intended to help you focus your planning efforts. (See the last part of this chapter for more information about the manual). • Basic wetlands education Questions to ask while planning your monitoring program include: • Wetland type identification • What are your main monitoring goals? Do you want to • To study wetland plants educate yourself, your organization, or others? Do you want to protect an existing threatened wetland? Do you want to develop • To study wetland animals baseline data for a site where no prior information exists in • To determine the health of a wetland, or trends in wetland case of potential future development? Do you want to monitor health (improvement or decline) wildlife or plants? • To determine the need for wetland protection, such as the • What resources, such as time, money, and volunteers presence or absence of rare, threatened or endangered plant are available? or animal species or natural communities • How can your monitoring project be most beneficial to • To determine if a restored, enhanced or created wetland is suc- others interested in preserving wetlands? What data is cessful in terms of meeting the three basic criteria for a wetland most needed by local governments or nongovernmental organi- (keeping in mind that for created wetlands, it could be years zations? Are there particular sites that need to be monitored? If before hydric soil has developed) so, what type of monitoring do these agencies need? • Do • To determine if the voluntary wetland activity has been suc- What about access and permission to the wetland site? you also have permission to collect samples, install wells, etc.? cessful in terms of meeting the intended functions and values Two Main Categories of Voluntary (Firehock et al., 1998) Wetland Monitoring Your goals will guide your monitoring project plan and monitoring objectives should follow accordingly (Firehock et al., 1998). For For the purposes of this ToolKit, the monitoring methods discussed example, if your goal is to protect a wetland site that is threatened, below are referring to monitoring associated with voluntary wetland one objective may be to perform water quality monitoring upstream activities; monitoring methods associated with compensatory and downstream of a wetland in order to establish that the wetland mitigation as a result of a permit must be approved by the regulatory improves water quality and therefore should be protected (Firehock agency issuing the permit. et al., 1998). We have divided wetlands monitoring into two main categories, Other monitoring considerations Visual-based monitoring and Hands-On Monitoring for ease of discussion and to benefit the many interests and goals of those The below questions are examples of considerations when who want to pursue wetland monitoring. Visual-based monitoring narrowing down the focus of your monitoring plan: refers to observational type monitoring in which samples are not collected whereas Hands-On Monitoring refers to more in-depth • What seem to be the most important functions and values of monitoring in which samples are often collected or measurements the particular wetland to the community? are made. Visual-based monitoring includes the gathering of the • What parameters should you monitor in order to learn about same tools necessary for identifying potential sites for voluntary these functions and values? wetland activities and is the necessary prior to any hands-on type of monitoring. It is recommended that individuals and organizations • Will you measure water chemistry, hydrology, wildlife, plants, or phase their monitoring project, first performing visual observations a combination of these? prior to any hands-on types monitoring. • What are your technical needs? Do you have technical exper- tise within your organization or can you partner with someone Planning Your Monitoring Program or recruit the volunteers with necessary skills? Much like planning your voluntary wetland activity, taking time to • Who will collect data? Volunteers? Students? Volunteers with plan for wetlands monitoring is important and will depend on your special skills, such as volunteer birders? goals, interests, and resources. Before jumping right into monitoring a wetland, you first need to think about what questions you hope to • How will monitoring participants be trained to collect answer and what you want to gain from the monitoring program. The consistent data? Virginia Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Program Methods Manual, • Who will use your data and how will you report data findings? although specific to chemical and biological water quality monitoring (Firehock et al., 1998)

60 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring 5 Developing a Quality Assurance Project Plans to ensure Use and Validity of Data Where to go for more help with developing a Monitoring Plan and a QAPP Once you have developed your project plan and have determined the types of monitoring to perform, parameters to monitor, and • The Virginia Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Program the like, you should also prepare a Quality Assurance Project Methods Manual contains information on developing Plan (QAPP) in order to add credibility of your project. A QAPP a quality assurance project plan and contains QAPP is a written document that explains how your project ensures template: that the data collected and analyzed meets project requirements http://www.deq.virginia.gov/cmonitor/guidance.html (Firehock et al., 1998). Quality Assurance refers to an overall • The Volunteer Monitor’s Guide to Quality Assurance quality management system including organization, planning, Project Plans, developed by EPA, is available at http:// data collection, documentation, and reporting. Quality Control www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/qappcovr.htm. refers to steps that you will take to assure the quality of the data for error control (Firehock et al., 1998). A QAPP documents the quality of your data and lends itself to increased use by others due to this documentation. Safety Tips To Protect You and The Wetland Getting to Know Your Wetland: Safety First! – Safety is an important element of any Visual-Based Wetland Monitoring volunteer monitoring program. Monitors should never put themselves at risk to perform wetlands monitoring. No data “To see a wren in a bush, call it “wren,” and go on walking is more important that safety! is to have (self-importantly) seen nothing. To see a bird and stop, watch, feel, forget yourself for a moment, be in the bushy • Always obtain permission from the landowner (whether shadows, maybe then feel “wren”—that is to have joined in a private or public) to enter and monitor a wetland site. larger moment with the word.”~ Gary Snyder, Language Goes • Dress properly for the weather. Don’t forget to wear Two Ways, 1995. blaze orange during hunting season! Getting acquainted with your wetland is a critical first step • Sample in teams or with partners. prior to any voluntary wetland activity such as enhancement or restoration as well as prior to any type of hands-on monitoring. • Inform someone where you are going and when you After all, how can you determine what parameters you might want plan to return. to measure if you don’t first know some basic information about • If you drive to the monitoring site, park in a safe location your site? Visual-based monitoring is oftentimes all that many individuals and groups perform, due to time and other constraints. • Watch out for poisonous plants and wildlife. Dress This type of monitoring can still be extremely valuable, leading to appropriately for protection against ticks. activities such as wetlands preservation. • Minimize impact to the wetland you are monitoring – This can mean limiting the number of people, choos- Gathering Background Site Information ing a single entrance path, or sometimes not even As many informational tools (introduced and discussed in Section entering a wetland at all. Some wetlands may be so Four, Informational Tools) as possible should be gathered and ecologically fragile that they should only be monitored reviewed as background information for your site prior to ever by knowledgeable scientists. stepping foot on the property. These tools include topographic • Clean equipment, including boots after each monitoring maps, NWI maps, soil surveys, aerial photographs, additional visit to avoid transporting plant seeds and introducing information obtained through GIS, if possible as well as tools them to other places. such as tax maps, and information concerning the presence of cultural resources and rare, threatened or endangered species. • Collection of plant and animal samples – Make sure to This information should be well organized so it can be easily follow regulations concerning the collection of plants accessed and understood by other members of your organization and animals. Many parks and wildlife refuges have and the interested community (Firehock et al., 1998). additional rules and regulations regarding the collection of plants or animals. Always make sure that the plant Once you have gathered and reviewed these tools, you can or animal you are collecting is not a rare, threatened already begin to learn a lot of useful information about your site or endangered species. For more information about that can then be confirmed in the field through site visits. This wildlife procession (including nests, feathers, etc.): information includes: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/scp.html. Adapted from Volunteer Wetland Monitoring, An Introduction • Studying the wetland location relative to its watershed – By using your topographic map, you can determine the and Resource Guide (EPA, 2001), the Chesapeake Bay drainage area that drains into your wetland site as well as Citizen Monitoring Manual (Alliance for the Chesapeake what larger watershed your wetland is a part of. Confirm Bay [Alliance], 2002) and the Virginia Citizen Water Quality your mapped observations by walking the area and compar- Monitoring Program Methods Manual (DEQ, 2003). ing it to the actual landscape.

61 5 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring • Determining the size and type of wetland – By using the • Journals for recording observations – Journals are NWI map as well as other tools, you can determine the size invaluable for recording observations and impressions of and type of your wetland and then confirm it in the field. wetlands. After all, most of what we know about the natural world prior to the early 1800s is based on information • Studying Hydrology – Several of your tools, including your obtained largely from journals. Think of the notebooks by topographic map and your NWI map, provide information Charles Darwin or the journals of Lewis and Clark and how about sources and types of water inputs or outputs related much less we would know about our natural history without to your wetland, such as streams or springs. You can then these documents. Journals can be strictly narrative, such visit the site to look for field observations of hydrology. as diaries, or can include sketches, photographs, or even Signs of wetland hydrology include drainage patterns and sound recordings. Keeping a nature journal forces you to be watermarks on trees (See Section One, What Makes it more observant about your surroundings. It is a good idea to a Wetland? for more information about field indicators of make journal entries with each visit to your wetland. “Day to wetland hydrology.) day, season to season, year to year, you will begin to amass • Studying Types of Vegetation – Your NWI map as well as a collection of observations and important information about aerial photographs should give you a clue prior to your site the area” (Thomson & Luthin, 2004). Keeping a nature visit as the major dominant types of vegetation your site may journal can be highly satisfying for volunteers, many of contain. Site visits are necessary to confirm and to study which are drawn to volunteer monitoring due to their natural- vegetation in greater detail. ist tendencies, whether or not they have been self-realized. • Wildlife Habitat Observations – Background information “What I have not drawn, I have never really seen” gathered from resources including DGIF’s Virginia Fish and ~Fredereic Franck, The Zen of Seeing Wildlife Information Service and Virginia Natural Heritage Program’s Online information of Virginia’s natural communi- Hands-On Wetland Monitoring ties, rare, threatened and endangered species will provide information as to the likelihood of wildlife on and around your Once you or your organization has gathered background site. Site visits can help to confirm the potential presence of information and performed some visual-based monitoring, wildlife. Although you will not set up monitoring stations for you may become more interested and prepared to begin wildlife or collect samples of signs of wildlife (such as feath- hands-on monitoring, in which samples are often collected or ers, nests or bones), as a part of visual-based monitoring measurements are made. you can still observe for potential habitat and also note any wildlife sightings at the time of your visits. Sightings include How to Measure and Sample Wetlands? animals actually observed or heard as well as signs such as OK, so now you’re ready to go out into your wetland and start animal tracks, feathers, fur, scat and nests. taking some measurements, right? How and what exactly should • Studying Human Impacts to the Wetland Site – Human you measure? land uses within a watershed affect the health and func- tionality of a wetland. Wildlife within a wetland can also be Well, there’s not a straight answer because there is no one affected by disturbances such as roads or populated places. “correct way” to monitor wetlands. This can be a confusing and Therefore, it is important to study and document human daunting realization for volunteers and professionals alike. As impacts, including the presence of existing land uses as well wetlands are the interface between land and water, compounded as changes observed with future monitoring visits such as by their variability, deciding how and what to monitor can be vegetation clearing, dumping, land disturbance and off-road daunting. Additionally, because wetlands often contain such vehicle damage. Topographic maps and aerial photographs a variety of biological conditions, typical water monitoring provide some information about land use. Additionally, local parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen or temperature give a state and Federal government agencies also have general limited picture of the overall health of the wetlands. It is therefore land use data, much of which is becoming available in digital often necessary to also study wetland plants and animals to order format. However, the most detailed and current land use to obtain a better picture of how healthy the wetland is and how it information will be gathered by your on site monitoring. Be is functioning (EPA, December 2001). sure not to trespass on private property when studying land Types of Hands-On Wetland Monitoring uses in the vicinity of your site. Much information can be gathered simply by driving around the area. In general, wetland monitoring methods can be categorized (Adapted from Firehock et al., 1998). into four broad types: (1) functional assessments, (2) habitat assessments, (3) wetland inventories and characterization, and Other types of Visual-Based Monitoring (4) biological assessments (Danielson, 1998). • Establishing a Photographic Record – Photographs are Functional assessments an easy way to record site conditions and to visually document change at the site. For photographs to be useful over For volunteers that measure water quality along streams time, it is important to take photographs at the same location and rivers, the idea of a “functional assessment” may seem and direction. new and unfamiliar. Instead of measuring water chemistry or macroinvertebrates, functional assessments attempt to estimate

62 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring 5 the ability of a wetland to perform different “functions,” such as • Vegetation – Plants are good indicators of wetland health surface water storage, water filtration, and serving as habitat for and stability because they are restricted to one location plants and animals (Danielson, 1998). for their entire lifetime. Some plants are more tolerant of human-induced stressors than others and can serve as indi- Habitat assessments cations of disturbance, whereas the presence of mainly less tolerant plants may indicate a healthier ecosystem (Firehock “Habitat assessment methods are based on the assumption that et al., 1998). Vegetation sampling is a common monitoring if the habitat is there, then the animals will be there”(Danielson, activity after an enhancement, restoration or creation activity 1998). A well-known method is the Habitat Evaluation Procedure has occurred in order to determine plant survival and vigor. (HEP), developed by the FWS to answer questions such as “Is Terrestrial vegetation sampling can include monitoring this site potentially good habitat for ducks?” (or any particular dominant vegetation types as well as the amount of invasive wildlife of interest). Using the HEP method, biologists visit a plants. In subaqueous wetlands, algae and submerged wetland and judge its ability to support the species in question aquatic vegetation can be measured. There are many (Danielson, 1998). methods for sampling vegetation. Common methods include measuring plant species and percent cover using sample Wetland inventories and characterization plots along either transects or within each vegetation com- Wetland inventories and characterization are the most common munity. Plot types and sampling methods vary based on the types of wetland monitoring among volunteer monitoring groups. dominant vegetation type and specific goals and objectives. Some monitoring projects inventory just one or a few types of • Soil Investigation – Soils often received the least attention plants or animals. For example, volunteers with the Bird Studies by volunteer monitors. Soils can be measured for signs of Canada/Long Point Bird Observatory Marsh Monitoring Program wetland hydrology, for texture or color. monitor birds and amphibians (Danielson, 1998). • Hydrology – the duration, timing and frequency of water Biological assessments inputs as well as outputs are critical to wetland health. Water fluctuations can be measured in wetlands, including “In a biological assessment, investigators evaluate groundwater and surface water levels as well as stream the condition of one or more biological “assemblages” flow, precipitation and tides. Examples of ways hydrology (examples of assemblages are macroinvertebrates, can be measured include: plants, or fish). Since plant and animal assemblages • Surface water levels (inundation) – staff gauge installa- reflect the cumulative effects of chemical, physical, and tion and monitoring biological disturbances to a habitat, scientists can use them much the same way as a doctor would use a ther- • Ground water levels (saturation) – Piezometer installation and monitoring mometer, blood pressure gauge, and other instruments in a physical exam” (Danielson, 1998). • Stream flow –Stream flow, also referred to as discharge, is the volume of water that moves over a point This is different than simply inventorying types of plants or for a period of time. Stream flow is directly related to the animals, as described in the previous section. Instead, by amount of water moving off a watershed into a stream evaluating the composition, diversity, and condition of plant channel. Stream flow may be measured using a flowme- or animal assemblages, wetland scientists are then able to ter or by measuring crosssectional area and measuring determine the overall “health” of a wetland (Danielson, 1998). stream velocity.

A bioassessment is a relatively new term used to describe a • Water Chemistry – can include collecting water samples way of performing a more rapid biological assessment rather and measuring water chemistry parameters such as dis- than a comprehensive assessment (Danielson, 1998). Wetland solved oxygen, pH, water temperature and salinity. bioassessment methods are based on a combination of surveys • Wildlife – Volunteers who monitor wetlands often focus of the different types of plants and animals within a wetland, on living things, in part because they are so tangible and often including the collection of some physical and chemical appealing. “If a citizen group wants to raise community data. EPA, December 2001). For more information on wetland awareness of wetlands, they’ll do better to talk about bioassessment, visit the EPA’s Biological Assessment of songbirds and frogs than groundwater recharge and water Wetlands web page: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/bawwg/. storage capacity (as quoted by John Kusler in Danielson, Wetland Parameters for Hands-On Monitoring 1998). Types and methods of wildlife monitoring include: • Birds – visual sightings, bird calls The below information introduces various wetland “parameters” that may be measured as part of one of the four main monitoring • Amphibians and Reptiles –visual surveys including terres- types discussed above. Remember to revisit your monitoring trial, trapping and egg masses as well as frog call surveys goals and objectives in order to focus your monitoring so that • Macroinvertebrate surveys – typically performed at least it will be most valuable to you and other intended users of your annually, possibly four times a year. Survey methods will data. As a volunteer program, it is a good idea to start slowly with a narrowed down list of monitoring parameters.

63 5 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring differ depending on the habitat type and variability. General Wetland Monitoring Resources

• Fish – seining and shocking • An Introduction and User’s Guide to Wetland Restoration, • Mammals – more scientific surveys than simply inciden- Creation, and Enhancement. Developed by the Interagency tal observations, best performed within seasonally, at Workgroup on Wetland Restoration (EPA, Corps, FWS, different times of the day and within each habitat type. NRCS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). This document is designed specifically for individuals, com- Monitoring Resources for Visual and munity groups, municipalities, or others who have little or no Hands-On Wetland Monitoring experience in the restoration field. Chapter 6 contains monitoring information. Available for download at: http://www. The Monitoring Resources listed and described below contain epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/restdocfinal.pdf information on methods that are appropriate for volunteers for many types of visual-based and hands-on wetlands monitoring. • Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability. Each resource varies in terms of its focus, rigor, objectives and 1998 (Second Edition). Firehock, K., Graff, L., Middleton, often the geographic setting (EPA, 2001, December). Remember, J.V., Starinchak, K.D. & Williams, C. The Izaak Walton you will probably still need to write your own protocols and League of America (IWLA). 288 pp. Softcover. The hand- QAPP, using these resources as a reference. This is not a book is an excellent resource for wetland education, citizen comprehensive list but rather a list of resources to help get you action and monitoring. Contains protocols and resources started in your monitoring journey. for establishing monitoring transects and for the monitoring of vegetation, soil, and surface and groundwater hydrology Please note: Contact and pricing information were current as of (including chemical water quality). The manual also contains October 2005. Websites and pricing may change after than time protocols and resources for wildlife monitoring including — we are providing these listings as a source of information only. amphibians, birds, fish, macroinvertebrates, and mammals. Methods are very easy to understand and the manual contains many datasheets for reproduction. For a table of contents of this manual go to: http://www.iwla.org/SOS/handbook/index.htm. The manual is available for purchase from the McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company at www. mwpubco.com or 1-800-233-8787 $39.95 (0941675 05-X) • Maine Citizens Guide, to Evaluating, Restoring, and Managing Tidal Marshes. 1997. Bryan, R., M. Dionne, R. Cook, J. Jones, and A. Goodspeed Maine Audubon Society, Falmouth, Maine. 87 pages plus appendices. This guide contains methods for assessing salt marshes for their overall ecological health as well as for functions and values. The document is geared toward collecting observational data that can be used to guide local planning efforts. Although the manual is quite technical and detailed, it is very methodi- cal and includes clear definitions and explanations. Although the orientation of the manual is for tidal wetlands in Maine, much is applicable elsewhere. To obtain electronic copies (hardcopies are no longer available): contact the Maine Audubon Society, P.O. Box 6009, Falmouth, ME 04105- 6009; Contact Becca Wilson 207-781-6180 ext. 222 or via email: [email protected] • A Manual for Salt Marsh Evaluation: Narragansett Bay Method. 1996. Lipsky, A. Save the Bay, Providence, RI. 22 pages. This manual is based on the New Hampshire Coastal Method and outlines a visual-based evaluation of salt marshes and adjacent uplands. The manual is short and informal (photocopied), and was designed for use by Rhode Island volunteers to help gauge the restoration potential of altered and degraded salt marshes in Narragansett Bay. Although the orientation of the manual is for tidal wetlands in Rhode Island, much is applicable elsewhere. Contact Save the Bay, 434 Smith St., Providence, RI 02908-3770, Tel. (401) 272-3540. Available online: http://www.savebay. org/Habitat/SaltMarsh/NarragansettMethod.asp Dovis

Alliance volunteer measuring water clarity with a turbity tube

64 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring 5 • A Volunteer’s Handbook for Monitoring New England • WOW!: The Wonders of Wetlands, an Educator’s Guide. Salt Marshes (2002, May). Carlisle, B.K., Donovan, A.M., Environmental Concern. Kesselheim, A.S. & Slattery, B.E. Hicks, A.L., Kooken, V.S., Smith, J.P. & Wilbur, A.R.. (1995). An interdisciplinary curriculum guide for K-12 educa- Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. tors of grade levels focused on the three definitive wetland Contains discussion of developing a monitoring plan and parameters: water, soil, and plants; there are wildlife- includes methods for monitoring vegetation, tidal hydrology, oriented exercises as well. Although geared for educators, salinity, birds, fish, crabs and other invertebrates. The much of the information is useful for volunteer wetland moni- Handbook contains easy to understand instructions, data tors. For more information, contact Environmental Concern forms and nice illustrations. Available online: http://www. Inc., http://www.wetland.org/ P.O. Box P, St. Michaels, MD mass.gov/czm/volunteermarshmonitoring.htm 21663-0480, Tel. (410) 745-9620 • The Volunteer Monitor Newsletter, a forum for citizen volun- Nature Journaling teer monitors of all types, not limited to wetland monitors. The document is issued twice yearly and electronic copies • Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of may be downloaded at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitor- Seeing the World Around You C. W. Leslie & C. E. Roth ing/volunteer/info.html (2000) North Adams, Massachusetts, Storey Books • Monitoring Wetlands The Volunteer Monitor, Vol. 10, No. Amphibian Monitoring 1, spring 1998. This issue is devoted entirely to volunteer wetlands monitoring and discusses common types appropriate for volunteers. The issue also discusses biological wetland assessment. http://www.epa.gov/ owow/monitoring/volunteer/newsletter/volmon10no1.pdf • Volunteer Wetland Monitoring, An Introduction and Resource Guide. EPA. December 2001. EPA 843-B-00-001. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Wetlands Division, Washington DC. To order, call the EPA Wetlands Helpline at 1-800-832- 7828 or email [email protected]. Also available for download at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/monitor/volmonitor.pdf • Wetland Bioassessment Fact Sheets. Danielson, T.J. EPA. July 1998. EPA 843-F-98-001. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, Wetlands Division, Washington DC. 11 fact sheets developed based on recent efforts to measure the FWS/Counch biological condition of wetlands, Available for download at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/wqual/bio_fact/ • Frogwatch USA is a volunteer frog and toad-monitoring • Wetland Restoration Handbook for Wisconsin Landowners program managed by the National Wildlife Federation 2nd Edition. Thomson, A.L. & Luthin, C.S. (2004). Madison, (NWF) in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey WI: Bureau of Integrated Science Services, Wisconsin (USGS). Frogwatch USA volunteers monitor populations of Department of Natural Resources. Available for download: vocal amphibians. The Frogwatch USA website contains http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/fhp/wetlands/resman. all the basic information necessary to learn how and when shtml (Publication #SS-989 2004). This manual is intended to monitor, pick an appropriate monitoring site and enter primarily for private landowners and encourages responsible results online. Although monitoring is recommended every and effective wetland restoration. The manual contains nice two weeks throughout the breeding season, volunteers graphics, colorful quotes and interesting side-bars. Chapter may participate on a less frequent basis. The Frogwatch 2 contains information on visual-based monitoring, including USA program is set up mainly for individual participation journaling. Chapter 11 contains information on monitoring but can easily be modified for organizations to participate. after restoration http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA/ • “Wetland Walk Manual: Guidebook for Citizen Participation.” • North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP) is 1996. EPA. Seattle: Office of Water. This 15 page manual a collaborative effort among regional partners, such as state with data forms provide instructions for citizens to easily natural resource agencies and nonprofit organizations, and determine the wetland type, observe human impacts to the the (USGS) to monitor populations of vocal amphibians. This wetland, observe signs of degradation in the wetland, and is a “professional-grade” volunteer program with many data describe vegetative communities. Available for download at: quality control procedures built into the monitoring protocols. http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/wetwalk.pdf After volunteers have collected sufficient data, it will be used to determine long-term amphibian population trends occurring across the nation. Recommended for volunteers

65 5 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring who can commit to a long-term program and adhere to a • The Monitor’s Handbook. Campbell and Wildberger. LaMotte strict monitoring schedule within the established monitoring Co. Provides the background necessary for volunteers to time periods. For more information on NAAMP: http://www. understand water quality monitoring purposes and proce- pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp/. The Wildlife Diversity Division of the dures. Describes the physical, chemical and biological factors DGIF coordinates the NAAMP program in Virginia. If you’re in water quality, analytical procedures, and the elements of a interested in becoming a Virginia Frog and Toad Surveyor: successful monitoring program. Contains a glossary of terms, http://www.dgif.state.va.us/wildlife/frog_call_survey.html conversions, and additional resources. Available for purchase from the LaMotte Co., P.O. Box 329, Chestertown, Md. • NAAMP frog call quiz – Online Frog Quizzes and Frog Call 21620; or call (800) 344-3100. Reference No.1507. ($12.95) information available for the general public, trained NAAMP http://www.lamotte.com/pages/edu/monitor.html volunteers, Frogwatch USA volunteers and Professionals: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/Frogquiz/. • Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods Manual, Second Edition. Ohrel, R.L., Jr. and K.L. Register. The Ocean • Virginia Frogs and Toads – The Virginia Herpetological Conservancy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Society website contains an up-to-date listing of all of Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. This manual the Virginia frog and toad species, distribution maps and presents information and methodologies for estuarine water sound clips of their mating calls: http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/ quality while stressing proper quality assurance and quality frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm control techniques to ensure that data are useful to state General Water Monitoring agencies and other data users: http://www.epa.gov/owow/ estuaries/monitor/ • The Volunteer Monitor’s Guide to Quality Assurance Project Plans. EPA. 1996. EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (4503F), Washington, DC 20460. EPA 841-B-96-003: http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/qappcovr.htm Macroinvertebrate Monitoring

• Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America. Voshell, J. R., Jr. 2002. Available for purchase from the McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company at www.mwpubco.com or 1-800-233-8787 Softcover $32.95 (0-939923-87-4). • New England Freshwater Wetlands Invertebrate Biomonitoring Protocol: A Manual for Volunteers, 2nd Edition. Hicks, A.L and Nedeau, E.J. Includes many illustrations of representative wetland invertebrates, and user-friendly field sheets and data forms. Designed for wetland scientists, environmental consultants, watershed associations, and volunteer monitoring groups. To order Alliance online: http://www.umassextension.org/Merchant2/ merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=NC- • Chesapeake Bay Citizen Monitoring Manual. Alliance for WIBP&Category_Code=WETL&Product_Count=0 ($25) the Chesapeake Bay. (October, 2002). Basic chemical water quality monitoring manual geared for volunteers Available • Virginia Save Our Streams (VASOS) is a nonprofit for download from the World Wide Web: http://www.acb- organization that trains and certifies volunteers to perform online.org/pubs/projects/deliverables-206-1-2003.PDF The macroinvertebrate monitoring throughout Virginia. Although Alliance coordinates a citizen monitoring chemical water VASOS monitoring protocols have been developed for use quality program for Virginia citizens within the Chesapeake in flowing streams, not wetlands, the website contains basic Bay watershed. For more information, contact the Alliance’s information on freshwater macroinvertebrates that may be Virginia office: phone: 804-775-0951, P.O. Box 1981, found in wetlands. Website: http://www.sosva.com/index. Richmond, VA 23218 http://www.acb-online.org/project. htm. To contact VA SOS: phone: 804-615-5036 or toll free cfm?vid=87 at 888-656-6664, P.O. Box 8297, Richmond, VA 23226

66 Volunteer-Based Wetland Monitoring 5 Acronyms and Abbreviations

Note- this list does not include abbreviations that are listed only in the Financial and Technical Assistance Tables (in Getting Help, Section Four), in Monitoring Resources for Visual and Hands-On Wetland Monitoring (Section 5) or in Literature Cited.

APFO Aerial Photography Field Office Alliance Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay CBF Chesapeake Bay Program CBLAD Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department CBP Chesapeake Bay Foundation CERCLIS Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System Corps U.S. Army Corps of Engineers CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act DCR Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation DACS Virginia Department of Consumer Services DEM Digital Elevation Models DEQ Virginia Department of Environmental Quality DGIF Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries DHR Virginia Department of Historic Resources DLG Digital Line Graphs DMME Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy DMR Division of Mineral Resources DOC Department of Commerce DOQ Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles

67 DRG NWP Digital Raster Graphics Nationwide Permit DU PPT Ducks Unlimited Parts Per Thousand ELI QAPP Environmental Law Institute Quality Assurance Project Plan EPA RMA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Resource Management Area ERP RPA Elizabeth River Project Resource Protection Areas FOBF SAV Friends of Bandy Field Submerged Aquatic Vegetation FSA TCF Farm Service Agency The Conservation Fund FWS TNC U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Nature Conservancy GIS TRI geographic information systems Toxic Release Inventory HEP TU CGIS Habitat Evaluation Procedure Towson University Center for Geographical Informational Sciences JPA Joint Permit Application USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture LWB Local Wetland Board USGS Geological Survey NCV Natural Communities of Virginia VAFWIS Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service NHP Virginia Natural Heritage Program VCP Virginia Coastal Program ND No Date VDH Virginia Department of Health NED National Elevation Data VDOT Virginia Department of Transportation NERR National Estuarine Research Reserve VIMS Virginia Institute of Marine Science NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration VMRC Virginia Marine Resources Commission NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service VPDES Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NRFS Natural Resources Fact Sheet VWP Virginia Water Protection NWI National Wetlands Inventory

68 Acronyms and Abbreviations Glossary

Note: The definitions in this Glossary are for the purposes of this ToolKit. Some glossary words may have varied or more technical definitions that those used here. A

Anaerobic Condition Condition resulting from little or no oxygen B

Bioassessment A relatively new term used to describe a way of performing a more rapid biological assessment rather than a comprehensive assessment

Brackish Water that contains some salt, but less than seawater; a mixture of fresh and saltwater typically found in estuarine areas

Bottomland Forest Low lying forested wetland between drier upland hardwood forests and a wetter river floodplain

Buffer Zone The area of land next to a body of water or wetland, where activities such as construction are restricted or plants are established in order to protect water or water quality C

Compensatory Mitigation Required replacing or restoring of wetlands to compensate for wetland loss in another area

Conservation Easement A legally binding and permanent deed to a property, tailored so that the land’s unique characteristics are protected

Cost Share Resources used to match other external funding resources

Creation The establishment of a wetland in an area where one did not formerly exist. Examples include establishing a wetland on an upland site and the filling a pond to produce a wetland D

Delineation The process of defining boundaries, see wetland delineation

Discharge The outflow of water or to release of something from one place to another

69 E H

Emergent Vegetation Hydric Soils Plants with roots and part of the stem submerged below water Soils that form from the lack of oxygen present due to the level, but the rest of the plant is above water presence of water at or below the soil surface

Enhancement Hydrology Increasing one or more functions or values of an existing wetland Describes the movement and storage of water within an area or other aquatic resource Hydroperiod Evapotranspiration Fluctuations in water level over time often defined by the A term that includes water discharged to the atmosphere as a frequency and duration of wetness result of evaporation from the soil and surface-water bodies and by plant transpiration Hydrophytes A plant that is adapted to grow in water Estuarine Found or formed in an estuary Hydrophytic Vegetation Vegetation that has adapted to survive in saturated or inundated Estuary conditions. Semi-enclosed coastal waterbodies that are affected by both tides as well as freshwater I F Inclusions In this instance, pertaining to soils of one type located within Fluvaquents larger soil complexes that is a different soil type Soils formed from frequent flooding, often found in floodplains In-Kind Contribution Foundation Donated goods and services used for match and cost-sharing An organization or institution with internal funding often distributed in grants or monetary gifts In-lieu Fee Fund A type of compensatory mitigation where the developer pays a Freshwater fee to a natural resource or nongovernmental organization for Water containing few salts (usually less than 0.5ppt) wetland creation or restoration G Inundation The condition of having standing water or being flooded by water Geographic Information Systems (GIS) on the soil surface A type of computer system that can capture, store, analyze and display information geographically, or according to location Invasive Species A species that does not naturally occur in a specific area and Gleying whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or The process by which mineral soils become black, gray or environmental harm or harm to human health. greenish-bluish gray in appearance or tint from the reduction of iron caused by the presence of water in the soil K

Grant Karst Monetary gift given to an organization in exchange for a service An area of limestone that has cracks, joints and underground caverns Grantee Person or organization receiving the grant L

Grantor Lacustrine Person or organization supplying the grant Wetlands are located along the edges of lakes where the water depth is less than 2 meters (6.6 feet)

Land disturbance Impacts to ground surface and soils

70 Glossary M Pneumatophore specialized roots formed on several species of plants occurring Matching funds frequently in inundated habitats; root is erect and protrudes Cost sharing or supplying monies or services to match funds above the soil surface supplied by an external source Preservation Mineral Soils The protection of existing wetlands (or other aquatic resources) A type of hydric soil found in wetlands that is composed of sands, in perpetuity through the implementation of appropriate legal and silts and clays physical mechanisms

Mitigation Q See compensatory mitigation Quality Assurance Mitigation Bank The overall mechanics of a monitoring organization or group to Creating, enhancing or restoring wetlands and setting them aside ensure accurate data collection by developing methods for data to compensate for unavoidable wetland impacts and damages collection, documentation, reporting and evaluation

Morphological Adaptations Quality Control Functional and structural adaptations in plants and animals Activities that reduce, detect and correct errors in data

Mottling R A process occurring in mineral soils that results in concentrations of highly oxidized materials that result from fluctuating water Resource Management Areas (RMAs) levels in wetlands. Contiguous lands landward of the Resource Protection Areas that have the potential to damage water quality N Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) Navigable Sensitive lands at or near the shoreline, which include buffer Waters that are either tidal or have been used or are presently zones that include tidal and nontidal wetlands being used for the transport of interstate or foreign commerce. Restoration O The re-establishment of a wetland in an area where it historically existed Organic Soils A type of hydric soil found in wetlands that is composed of Riverine decomposed plant materials Wetlands located within freshwater river channels that are dominated by persistent emergent vegetation Oxidation The process by which a substance is exposed to oxygen causing S it to rust due to the loss of electrons Salinity P The measure of dissolved salts in water, usually expressed in parts per thousand (ppt) Palustrine Nontidal freshwater wetlands that are neither riverine nor Salinity Gradient lacustrine The gradual increase of salinity in a river as you travel towards its mouth where it is influenced by the ocean Persistent vegetation Plants whose stems show above the water and do not deteriorate Saltwater when the plant goes dormant Water that contains the approximate salinity to that of seawater (approximately 35 ppt) Physiographic Providences Geographic regions Saturation The condition where air spaces in soil are filled with water but no Physiological Adaptations water is present on the soil surface Adaptations of life processes Sinkhole Piezometer A hole or depression in the ground that usually occurs in areas A type of well that is nonpumping, generally of small diameter, for with limestone geology measuring the elevation of a water table.

71 Glossary Stakeholders A person or group of people who have a stake or particular interest/attachment to an issue

Streamflow the discharge of water in a natural channel

Subaqueous Land Land and vegetation below the water surface. For regulatory purposes in Virginia, these lands are located channel ward of mean low water

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Aquatic vegetation that grows entirely below the water surface and roots in the sediments

Substrate The underlying material or ground cover T

Tidal Freshwater An area of freshwater that is influenced by the tides

Topographic Map A map showing elevation and land use

Topography – The relative elevations of different features in a landscape V

Vernal Pool A small lake or pond that is filled with water for only a short time during the spring; many species of reptiles, amphibians, insects and invertebrates rely on vernal pools for breeding W

Watershed A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common waterway, including a wetland, stream, river, lake, or even an ocean.

Water Table The upper level of the portion of the ground in which all spaces are saturated with water

Wetland Delineation The process of defining the boundaries of a wetland

Wet Woods Refers to both bog woodlands and floodplain woodlands

72 Glossary Literature Cited

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Alliance). (2003, September). Most Streams, Many Wetlands, Could Lose Protection. Bay Journal 13(6). Retrieved September 26, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.bayjournal.com/index.cfm?issue=199

Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Alliance). (n.d). Chesapeake Regional Information Service (CRIS). CRIS Action Pack: Wetlands.

Association of Wetland Managers. (2005, February). State Wetland Programs: Virginia. Retrieved September 26, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.aswm.org/swp/virginia9.htm

Augustine, H.H., III (Coordinator). (2004, September). Final 2004 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved on September 15, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.deq.state.va.us/wqa/ir2004.html

Black, P.E. (1996). Watershed Hydrology (2nd ed.) Lewis Publishers.

Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Development (CBLAD). (2004, February). Virginia’s Bay Act Program. Retrieved on September 15, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cblad.virginia.gov/abtprogram.cfm

Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). (2004, December). Bay Grasses. Retrieved on September 15, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/baygras.htm

Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). (2005, August). American Oyster. Retrieved on September 15, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/american_oyster.htm

Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). (2005, May). Press Release: Regional Variations Present Mixed Picture on Health of Chesapeake Bay Underwater Grasses. Retrieved on September 15, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/pubs/sav_release_052605.pdf

Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). (2002, January). Habitats. Retrieved September 23, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www. chesapeakebay.net/habitats.htm (take link for shallow water)

Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). (1997, April). Protecting Wetlands: Tools for Local Governments in the Chesapeake Bay Region. United States Department of Environmental Protections.

Cowardin, L.M., Carter, V., Golet, F.C., & LaRoe, E.T. (1979, December). Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States. Office of Biological Services, Fish and Wildlife Service.

Danielson, T. (1998, Spring) Monitoring Wetlands: Deciding What to Measure. The Volunteer Monitor, 10(1). Issue Topic: Monitoring Wetlands.

Firehock, K., Graff, L., Middleton, J.V., Starinchak, K.D. & Williams, C. (1998, June). Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability (2nd. Ed.). Izaak Walton League of America, Save Our Streams Program. Bethesda, MD: Rock Creek Publishing Group. Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

73 Heimlich, R. (1988, June-July) Agriculture & Wetlands: Is “No Atmospheric Administration: National Marine Fisheries Service. Net Loss” Achievable? Economic Research Service/USDA Retrieved September 23, 2005 from the World Wide Web: Agricultural Outlook. Retrieved on September 15, 2005 from http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/habitatconservation/ the World Wide Web: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/ publications/habitatconections/num5.htm agoutlook/jun1998/ao252e.pdf Thomson, A.L. & Luthin, C.S. (2004). Wetland Restoration Hershner, C., Havens, K., Berman, M., Rudnicky, T., & Handbook for Wisconsin Landowners (2nd. Ed.). Madison, WI: Schatt, D. (2000). Wetlands of Virginia: total, isolated and Bureau of Integrated Science Services, Wisconsin Department of headwater. Special Report, 03-1. Center for Coastal Resources Natural Resources. Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2005, Hershner, C. (1999, May). Tulloch Ditching. Wetlands Program March). Wetland Types. Retrieved September 23, 2005 from the Technical Report. No. 99-4. Retrieved September 15, 2005 World Wide Web: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/types/ from the World Wide Web: http://www.vims.edu/ccrm/wetlands/ techreps/99-4-tullock-ditching.pdf United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2001, September). Wetlands Overview. Retrieved September 26, 2005 Hutchings, P. (2003). Fact Sheets: Tidal Wetlands. Australian from the World Wide Web: http://www.epa.gov/gmpo/education/ Museum. Retrieved September 23, 2005 from the World Wide pdfs/WetlandsOverview.pdf Web: http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/tidal_wetlands.htm United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2001, Kesselheim, A.S. & Slattery, B.E. (1995). WOW! The Wonders of December). Volunteer Wetland Monitoring: An Introduction and Wetlands: An Educator’s Guide. St. Michaels, MD: Environmental Resource Guide. Washington DC: Office of Water, Office of Concern Inc. Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds.

Lippson, A.J. & Lippson, R.L. (1984). Life in the Chesapeake United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1995, Bay: An Illustrated Guide to Fishes, Invertebrates, and Plants of December). America’s Wetlands: Our Vital Link Between Land and Bays and Inlets from Cape Code to Cape Hatteras. Baltimore: Water. Office of Water, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. The Johns Hopkins University Press. United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.) Louisiana Challenge Grant (1997). Wetland Communities: Stream Flow: What is stream flow and why is it important? Coastal Marshes. Retrieved September 23, 2005 from the Section 5.1 of Monitoring and Assessing Water Quality. Retrieved World Wide Web: http://www.challenge.state.la.us/wetlands/ October 6, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.epa.gov/ communities/cm.html owow/monitoring/volunteer/stream/vms51.html

McCarthy, J. (2001, September). A Landowner’s Guide United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.) An to Montana Wetlands (rev. ed.). Bozeman, MT: Montana Introduction and User’s Guide to Wetland Restoration, Creation, Watercourse. and Enhancement. Developed by the Interagency Workgroup on Wetland Restoration (EPA, Army Corps of Engineers [ACOE], Mitsch, W.J. & Gosselink, J.G. (2000). Wetlands (3rd ed.). New U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS], Natural Resources York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Conservation Service [NRCS] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]). Retrieved October 5, 2005 from the World A Guide to Wetlands Management & Development. Northern Prairie Wide Web: http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/pdf/restdocfinal.pdf Wildlife Research Center, Second Edition – Revised April 1998 United States Geological Survey (USGS). (2005, February). Reshetiloff, K. (Ed.). (2001, September). Chesapeake Bay: Geographical Information Systems. Retrieved September 28, Introduction to an Ecosystem. United States Environmental 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/ Protection Agency, Chesapeake Bay Program. gis_poster/#what

Ripple, K.L. & Garbisch, E.W. (2000). POW! The Planning of Utah Department of Natural Resources (UDNR). (2005). Utah Wetlands: An Educator’s Guide. St. Michaels, MD: Environmental State Water Plan; Planning for the Future. Division of Water Concern Inc. Resources. Retrieved September 26, 2005 from the World Wide Web: www.water.utah.gov/waterplan/uwrpff/Glossary.htm Silberhorn, G.M. (1976, April). Tidal Wetland Plants of Virginia. Gloucester Point, VA: Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Virginia Coastal Program (VCP). (2005, September). Programs Laws and Policies, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Stedman S.M. & Hanson, J. (n.d.). Habitat Connections: Retrieved September 26, 2005 from the World Wide Web: Wetlands, Fisheries and Economics. National Oceanic and http://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/lawpols.html#wetlands

74 Literature Cited Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) (1999). Virginia’s State (1997, April). Natural Heritage Resources Fact Sheet: Parks and Natural Area Preserves…Your Backyard Classrooms Groundwater Seepage Wetlands of the Coastal Plain and (Chesapeake Ed.). The Virginia Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, Piedmont. Retrieved September 26, 2005 from the World Wide Virginia Institute of Marine Science, The College of William and Mary. Web: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dnh/fsground.pdf Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). (n.d.). Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Habitat Management Division. Retrieved September 14, 2005 Natural Communities of Virginia, 2nd Approximation Classification from the World Wide Web: http://www.mrc.state.va.us/hmac/ of Ecological Community Groups, Version 2.1. Retrieved hmoverview.shtm September 22, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.dcr. virginia.gov/dnh/ncoverview.htm Virginia’s Vernal Pools. (n.d.). Education. Retrieved September 23, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.lynchburgbiz.com/ Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). virginiasvernalpools/educate.htm (n.d.) Natural Resources Fact Sheet – Sea Level Fens. Retrieved September 26, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.dcr. Virginia Wetlands Restoration Coordinating Committee. (2001, virginia.gov/dnh/wfens.htm December). 2001 Annual Report to the Governor.

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). (2003, Welsch, D.J., Smart, D.L., Boyer, Minkin, P., Smith, H.C. & July). Virginia Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Program Methods McCandless, T.L. (n.d.). Forested Wetlands: Functions, Benefits and Manual. Also available online: http://www.deq.virginia.gov/ the Use of Best Management Practices. Radnor, PA: U.S.D.A. Forest cmonitor/guidance.html Service, Northeastern Area.

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) (2005, n.d.). Wheatley Memorial Institute of Information Sciences. (2005). Mitigation. Retrieved October 5, 2005 from the World Wide Web: Carolina Now: Carolina Bays. Retrieved September 23, 2005 http://www.deq.state.va.us/wetlands/mitigate.html from the World Wide Web: http://www.carolinanow.com/recsites/ carolinabays.htm Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). (2005, July). Get the Facts: Wetlands in Virginia. Retrieved September White, C.P. (1989). Chesapeake Bay A Field Guide: Nature of the 15, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://www.deq.virginia. Estuary. Centerville, MD: Tidewater Publishers. gov/info/pdf/GetTheFacts.wetlands.pdf Woodward, S.L. & Hoffman, R.L. (1991). Virginia’s Endangered Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) (2005, n.d.). Species: Proceedings of a Symposium. Blacksburg, VA: The Wetlands. Retrieved September 26, 2005 from the World Wide McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company. Web: http://www.deq.state.va.us/wetlands/wetlands.html Year of Clean Water (2001). Retrieved September 14, 2005 from the World Wide Web: http://yearofcleanwater.org/ Moulds

75 Literature Cited Additional Acknowledgements

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Chesapeake Bay (CB) NERR photos taken by April Bahen, Department of Environmental Quality would like to express courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration their appreciation for the opportunity to provide this ToolKit, (NOAA)/Department of Commerce (DOC) which was developed through a grant award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) Mara Dovis, freelance photographer www.marafoto.com Wetlands Program Development Grants initiative. Stacey Moulds, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. For more Special thanks to those individuals representing various information about the Alliance, visit http://www.AllianceChesBay.org. conservation nonprofit organizations and state and Federal agencies who helped with this manual through advice on its CBF staff photos courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Foundation content as well as review. Walter Priest

Graphics Permission National Water Monitoring Day photos courtesy of Virginia office of the USGS Illustrations taken from Wow! The Wonders of Wetlands are used with permission from Environmental Concern (EC), Inc. For Case study photographs: further information, contact Environmental Concern at (410) 745- 9620 or visit www.wetland.org. Oscar’s Landing photos courtesy of Walter Priest and ERP

The Illustration taken from the Virginia Department of Education Team Estonoa photos courtesy of Terry Vencil, Saint Paul (VDOE) is copyrighted by the Commonwealth of Virginia High School Department of Education. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. Third parties who wish to use the material in any Laurel Grove photos courtesy of CBF manner must contact the Virginia Department of Education for specific written permission. FOBF photos courtesy of Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay

Illustrations taken from the Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability are used with the permission of the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA). For more information about Special Thanks… the IWLA, visit www.iwla.org Alice Jane and Robert L. Lippson The Wetlands Café illustration was taken from the Handbook of Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability with permission We would like to specially acknowledge and thank Alice from the Tennessee Valley Authority and the IWLA. For more Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson who graciously information on the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), visit http:// allowed us to use illustrations from their book; Life in www.tva.gov/index.htm. The TVA and the EPA originally created the Chesapeake Bay. The Lippson’s are stewards to the the illustration. Chesapeake Bay and have devoted much of their lives to educating people on the Bay ecosystem. Their book is The Tidewater Virginia Diagram was adapted from a PowerPoint an excellent source of information about the Chesapeake presentation slide prepared by the Joint Legislative Audit and Bay ecosystem and is an invaluable resource on Review Commission (JLARC) for the Virginia General Assembly, fish, plants and invertebrates of the Bay ecosystem. October 2002. For the full PowerPoint presentation go to: Illustrations in the book are visually inspiring and make http://jlarc.state.va.us/Meetings/October02/CBLADcolor.pdf you feel as though you are standing alongside the Bay. A new third edition of their book will be available from Johns Example Spreadsheet courtesy of Walter Priest and the Elizabeth Hopkins University Press in the Spring of 2006. River Project (ERP)

Frog image courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Don Shappelle created by Karen Counch We would like to acknowledge Don Shappelle for allowing us to reproduce lyrics from his Susquehanna to the Photography Acknowledgements Chesapeake CD. Don Shappelle’s songs are entertaining and educating, as he is a true steward to the Chesapeake FWS photos courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Bay. Don Shappelle is available for booking at events and Photos by:Jay Clark, Izaak Walton League of America; Debbie can be contacted at (570) 823-6319 or [email protected] McCrensky; and Elsie Smith

76 Additional Acknowledgements The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay And the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality 2005